New Delhi: The findings of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on the number of stroke and Alzheimer's patients have come as a shocker for Kerala.
The number of stroke patients in Kerala is higher than in other states. In Kerala, 152 in one lakh people suffer from stroke, while the national average is 93. And 564 in one lakh people suffer from Alzheimer's or other dementia. The nationwide incidence is 266 people per lakh. The study was published in the 'Lancet' journal.
State should carry out a study
Dr Gagandeep Singh, a member of the team that conducted the study and chief of the neurology department at the Dayanand Medical College & Hospital in Ludhiana, said that lifestyle diseases are more prevalent in Kerala. A detailed study should be carried out to find the cause. However, there is no problem of stroke patients dying due to lack of treatment in Kerala. For neurological diseases, the situation is different in each state. Therefore, each state has to assess the situation and frame a policy, he added.
Neurological diseases on the rise in the country
In general, neurological diseases have been found to be on the rise in the country. Stroke caused 6.9 lakh deaths in the country in 2019 alone, i.e., 7.4 per cent of the total deaths.
The report also points out that high blood pressure, air pollution, food habits, body mass index, and diabetes were causing neurological diseases.
Neurological diseases (per one lakh)
Disease Kerala India
Epilepsy 865 726
Cerebral palsy 1500 1210
Alzheimer's 564 266
Brain cancer 5.3 3.5
Parkinson’s 96 55
Multiple sclerosis 6.6 7.7
Motor neuron diseases 1.9 1.8
Newly reported (per lakh)
Disease Kerala India
Stroke 152 93
Meningitis 49 44
Tetanus 0.23 1.19
Traumatic brain injuries 636 537
Spinal cord injuries 12.6 9.7
