South Africa: Hope for Stroke Prevention

3 November 2012

About 35% or 500 out of 100 000 strokes that occur in South Africa every year can now be prevented. This is thanks to a new drug registered for use in the country this week for the prevention and management of strokes in people with a heart condition known as Atrial Fibrillation.

Sufffering a stroke is becoming more common in South Africa, affecting about 130 people a day. About half the people who suffer a stroke are likely to die within the first year of having it. Adults over the age of 40 are at highest risk. This is because 1 in 4 adults over 40 are more likely to suffer a heart condition known as atrial fibrillation, which is responsible for a third of all strokes. Dr Kevin Ho, the Medical Director at Boehringer-Ingelheim, explains that atrial fibrillation is a condition where the normal heart beat is affected and becomes irregular.

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