Every day in Occitania, 40 people suffer a stroke, 20 will remain seriously disabled for life and 5 will die. In France, around 140,000 people suffer from stroke each year.
On the occasion of World Stroke Day, the Regional Health Agency (ARS) of Occitanie and its partners are launching an awareness campaign to alert the public to the vital emergency that a stroke represents. Because every minute counts and a quick reaction can save lives.
What is a stroke?
Stroke is a serious neurological deficit caused by brain damage of vascular origin. It occurs when a blood vessel becomes blocked or bursts in the brain, cutting off the blood supply to the brain cells. There are two types of stroke:
Ischemic stroke : Caused by a blocked blood vessel, this type accounts for about 80% of cases.
Hemorrhagic stroke : Resulting from the rupture of a blood vessel in the brain, it affects 20% of victims.
The figures are alarming. In France, stroke is the leading cause of acquired disability in adults and the third leading cause of mortality, with around 40,000 deaths per year. In women, it is even the leading cause of death.
Serious and irreversible consequences
During a stroke, every minute that passes results in the loss of nearly 2 million brain cells. The after-effects are often serious: paralysis, speech disorders, dementia, and other disabilities can result from this sudden event. However, stroke is not inevitable: treatments exist, but they are only effective if they are administered quickly and in specialized treatment units. Thanks to these units, mortality can be reduced by 30%, and the risk of after-effects reduced.
Recognize the warning signs and act quickly
When faced with a stroke, the ability of those around you to identify the warning signs is crucial. It is essential to inform each citizen so that they can:
Recognize the warning signs: Muscle weakness or paralysis on one side of the body, deformation of the mouth, language disorders such as sudden difficulty speaking, incoherent speech, or difficulty understanding.
Call 15 without delay: In case of doubt or at the slightest appearance of these symptoms, you must call 15. This simple but vital reflex can save lives.
Even if the symptoms disappear after a few minutes, it may be a transient ischemic attack (TIA), which sometimes precedes a more serious stroke.
A shock campaign to raise public awareness
In order to better inform Occitan residents, the ARS and its partners are deploying a unique communications campaign from October 29. Through striking graphics, which are inspired by the concept of the scratch game, the campaign questions the public: why associate stroke with a game of chance? The objective is to remember that there is neither chance nor fate. When it comes to stroke, the only winning number is 15.
Stroke affects more and more young people, and even children are not spared. We are therefore all concerned and must adopt the right reflex to protect ourselves and our loved ones.
Fighting stroke together
Stroke awareness is a public health mission. The more informed the population is, the more it will be able to react effectively. Thanks to the mobilization of ARS Occitanie and its partners, this campaign aims to involve each of us in the fight against this scourge.
Let’s not forget: when faced with a stroke, every minute counts! Only one reflex: call 15!
