Ibrahim Bin Hamad Obaidullah Hospital in Ras Al Khaimah – an affiliate of Emirates Health Services (EHS) – has made notable strides in treating strokes, where a study submitted by a team of doctors at the hospital was selected as one the top three studies at the 8th Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Stroke Conference.
The Conference was recently held in Abu Dhabi and is considered to be the largest event of its kind in the region, accredited by the World Stroke Organisation and the European Stroke Organisation.
The medical team from Ibrahim Bin Hamad Obaidullah Hospital that prepared the study included Dr. Ammar Al-Omar, Neurologist and Supervisor of the Stroke Programme; Dr. Mohammed Ghazi, Head of the Emergency Department; Dr. Ahmed Abu Hajar, Consultant Neurologist, and Dr. Aya Al-Sayyad, Neurologist.
The hospital noted that the study took five years to compile, from 2017 to 2021, during which time 711 stroke cases were examined, revealing an increase in the improvement rate among patients undergoing treatment, from 3.4% in 2017 to 20% in 2021.
The study highlighted the short response time at the hospital, and underlined a notable reduction in the time it takes for the treatment to be administered. Tests and treatment were provided within just 39 minutes of arrival at the hospital – and going as low as 25 minutes last October – instead of the previous average of 116 minutes. Furthermore, the study indicated that the percentage of patients who received treatment within 60 minutes of arrival at the hospital – which is the international standard – went from 0% to 81%.
“Comparing performance rates with international figures confirms that Ibrahim Bin Hamad Obaidullah Hospital outperformed its global counterparts; for example, only 27% of patients in Australia receive treatment within 60 minutes of arriving at the hospital,” Dr. Ammar Al-Omar said. “This remarkable achievement was the result of the hard work and dedication of the team at the hospital’s Emergency Room, Department of Internal Medicine, and the Department of Neurology, in close collaboration with the Angels Initiative, and with support from Emirates Health Services.”
“EHS has provided training and devised practical and scientific solutions in order to ensure that appropriate treatment is given to the largest possible number of eligible patients and in the shortest possible time,” he added. “This allows patients to benefit greatly from the reduced treatment period and minimised possibility of future disability after a stroke.”
Stroke is the second leading cause of death and third leading cause of disability, according to statistics by the World Stroke Organisation. Doctors use thrombolysis as a primary treatment for stroke patients, with the aim of breaking up the clot that prevents blood from reaching the brain, saving brain cells from damage, and reducing the chance of disability if administered to the patient early.