Urgent Need to Reduce the Devastating Personal and Economic Impact of these Severe Strokes
BRUSSELS - Wednesday, October 24th 2012 [ME NewsWire]
(BUSINESS
WIRE)-- Ahead of World Stroke Day 2012 (October 29), European Policy
Makers have joined over 90 Medical and Patient Organisations, and more
than 100,000 people, in supporting the Global Atrial Fibrillation (AF)
Patient Charter and calling for National Governments and the World
Health Organisation to act to make the prevention of AF-related strokes a
priority. The Charter outlines ways to improve the diagnosis and
management of AF which, if implemented, could stop thousands of
preventable strokes from occurring each and every year.
Why Action is Needed Now?
This
is an epidemic already in progress, in Europe alone ten million people
are affected by AF – the most common sustained abnormal heart rhythm.
However, an increasingly ageing population means that the number of
Europeans affected is expected to rise to 25 to 30 million by 2050. This
is very worrying because people with AF are five times more likely to
experience a stroke than those without AF. Furthermore, these strokes
are more severe than those that are unrelated to AF and therefore more
costly in terms of impact on individuals and health and social services
budgets.
“I think it is very important that National Ministries
of Health throughout the 27 European Member States pay attention to the
Global AF Patient Charter,”said Member of the European Parliament’s
Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee Dr Cristian Silviu
Buşoi. “The Charter recommendations could help governments achieve the
aims of the European Heart Health Charter and the recently adopted
United Nations target to reduce Non Communicable Disease mortality by
25% by the year 2025. This could limit the human trauma and substantial
impact on health budgets caused by AF-related strokes.”
The
financial burden placed on European countries by stroke is huge. In
2010, the estimated cost of stroke in Europe was €64 billion. Assuming
that 15% of these strokes were caused by AF and that they are generally
more severe, the cost of AF-related stroke could be at least €10 billion
in 2010 alone.
The personal impact for AF-related stroke
survivors and their families cannot be underestimated with more than a
third of survivors returning home with some level of permanent
disability. AF also increases the risk of medical complications
following a stroke with survivors suffering more frequently from
conditions such as pneumonia and accumulation of fluid in the lungs.
Strokes are Preventable: Prevent Them!
However,
the majority of these strokes are preventable. Whilst there is no quick
or easy solution, there are steps that can be taken to improve
awareness, detection, diagnosis and management of AF to reduce the
number of people whose lives are devastated every year.
“National
governments should work together with Medical and Patient Organisations
to make AF-related stroke prevention and care a national healthcare
priority and put in place national stroke prevention plans,”said Member
of the European Parliament’s Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
Committee Edite Estrela. “We should all do our best to increase access
to education, early diagnosis of AF and appropriate management to
prevent AF- related strokes.”
A Worldwide Unified Voice
The
Global AF Patient Charter is supported by over 90 Medical and Patient
Organisations around the world. Its supporting campaign, Sign Against
Stroke in Atrial Fibrillation, is calling for individuals around the
world to sign their names on SignAgainstStroke.com to demonstrate their
support for the Charter and ask National Governments to implement its
recommendations to prevent AF-related strokes.
“I am so excited
to see the rapidly increasing support for the Global AF Patient
Charter,”said Trudie Lobban MBE, Founder and Trustee, Arrhythmia
Alliance, and Co-Founder and CEO, Atrial Fibrillation Association. “Over
100,000 policy makers, healthcare professionals, patients, their
families and members of the general public have supported the Charter by
signing their names at SignAgainstStroke.com. This is a demonstration
of how important it is that AF-related stroke is prevented and with this
support we can drive change.”
About The Global AF Patient Charter and Sign Against Stroke Campaign
The
Global AF Patient Charter has been developed by a Steering Committee
comprised of representatives from Patient Organisations, including
AntiCoagulation Europe, Arrhythmia Alliance, Atrial Fibrillation
Association, Irish Heart Foundation, StopAfib.org and Stroke Alliance
for Europe, in collaboration with 39 founding Patient Organisations from
20 countries. A full listing of collaborating organisations is
available on the website, www.signagainststroke.com.
People can
learn about AF and stroke, read and sign the Charter, which is available
in 22 languages, and hear what policy makers have to say on the
Campaign website, www.signagainststroke.com. All signatures contribute
to driving action to prevent AF-related strokes and improving future
outcomes and quality of life of people diagnosed with AF.
Bayer HealthCare is proud to support the Global AF Patient Charter and Sign Against Stroke Campaign.
Contacts
TogoRun
Melissa Gonzalez, +1-212-453-2047
m.gonzalez@togorun.net
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