Ukraine is experiencing a sharp increase in strokes caused by arterial hypertension, which is provoked by stressful situations. This trend is already being called a “war” disease by doctors. According to Maria Prokopiv, head of the Department of Neurology at Bogomolets National University of Kyiv, the stress that accompanies war significantly increases the risks of cardiovascular diseases, including strokes.
“More and more patients are being delivered by ambulance,” Prokopiv noted in her interview for Glavkom. According to her, since the beginning of the war, the number of cases has increased when people do not wait for improvement and do not go to clinics, but immediately call an ambulance. This fact has a positive effect, since the ambulance can diagnose a stroke on the spot and deliver the patient to the hospital on time, which significantly improves the chances of recovery. In particular, the number of cases when patients are admitted to the hospital within the therapeutic window, that is, within 4.5 hours after the stroke, has increased by 20%.
However, doctors are also recording an increase in the number of late applications. Such patients have a much worse prognosis, since the later start of treatment significantly complicates the recovery process and increases the risk of death. What is especially alarming is that some people refuse hospitalization, even when it is critically necessary. The percentage of such cases is growing and currently stands at 13.2%.
Experts pay special attention to the role of stress in the development of strokes. According to Prokop, stress causes a sharp increase in blood pressure, which, in turn, can lead to a stroke. The condition, which doctors define as stress-induced arterial hypertension, is becoming increasingly common among Ukrainians, especially against the backdrop of military events. If until 2022 only 33% of patients complained of severe stress, now this figure has increased to 42.5%.
Hypertension is the number one risk factor for stroke. That's why doctors emphasize the need to monitor blood pressure, especially in people who are in stressful situations, and to consult a doctor at the first symptoms of the disease.
