COVID-19 Stroke: The Corona epidemic not only affected people’s health by spreading the infection, but during this period the treatment of many other serious diseases also got hampered. Its big impact was also seen on stroke patients. New research has revealed that due to fear of Corona and increased pressure on hospitals, many people delayed going to the hospital immediately even after showing symptoms of stroke. This also affected the severity of the disease, treatment and recovery of patients. Read the surprising research-
Analysis based on 107 studies
In this research, studies published between December 2019 and September 2024 were looked at. Researchers initially examined 1,405 studies, of which 107 studies were included in the analysis. Its objective was to understand how the Corona epidemic affected the process of reaching hospital, treatment and recovery of stroke patients.
Delay in going to hospital due to fear of Corona
The most important thing revealed in the review was that many people did not seek medical help immediately despite feeling symptoms of stroke. Some people feared that they might get corona infection if they went to the hospital. Some people felt that hospitals were already full of patients due to the pandemic. This delay was especially seen in those people whose stroke symptoms were mild. The result was that some patients reached the hospital after the required time for treatment had passed.
When we reached the hospital the stroke was more serious
There was also a decline in the number of stroke patients in hospitals during the pandemic. In one study, there was a 31 percent reduction in monthly admissions for ischemic stroke, while in another study there was a 44 percent reduction. But, among the patients who reached the hospital, the stroke was in many cases more severe than before. Researchers linked this to delay in treatment, social distancing and hesitancy to go to hospital in emergency.
Recovery of patients was also affected
The effect of delay in treatment and interruption in health services was also visible on the recovery of patients. One study found higher levels of disability in patients at the time of discharge from hospital during the pandemic. This difference remained even after three months. Some studies also found a higher risk of death in stroke patients who received treatment during the pandemic. In one analysis, the mortality rate at the time of discharge from hospital was 7.7 percent, whereas before the pandemic it was 2.5 percent.
Telemedicine helped, but the elderly remained behind
Telemedicine helped maintain contact with doctors during the pandemic. However, its use was more among young patients, while elderly patients were less able to use digital facilities. This also revealed inequality in access to health services.