TEHRAN — Stroke is the third leading cause of death in Iran, said the president of Iranian Stroke Association, Mehr News Agency reported on Saturday.

In a ceremony held to introduce Depakine, an epilepsy drug, which is being domestically produced in Iran for the first time, Dr. Babak Zamani said that stroke is the first or second cause of paralysis in the country.

“In some developed countries, stroke is now the fourth leading cause of death while in other regions such as northern Europe or Africa, it is the fifth one,” Zamani said.

“This indicates that they are monitoring and treating the disease watchfully.”

He added that there are no exact statistics on the number of strokes in Iran.

“It is only possible to estimate the number by comparing Iran to other countries which are similar to us race-wise,” he stated.

“According to the global average, in a city like Tehran and its suburbs, with a population of 15 million, 200 strokes take place daily. So in our country… 1,000 people suffer a stroke every day, which is a high and alarming rate,” Zamani said.

Except in severe cases, people who suffer a stroke do not usually die, the official said, adding that only 10 percent of the strokes result in death.

“The rest will live with pain and permanent paralysis. Additionally, the rehabilitation process is costly for both families and the society,” he explained.

Stroke usually affects people aged 20 to 40 and the number of those who have a stroke at this age is double the number of MS (multiple sclerosis) patients, Zamani said.

“If you are having a stroke, it is critical that you get medical attention right away. Immediate treatment may minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and prevent death,” the president of Iranian Stroke Association noted.

In case of getting proper medication within the first hour after the stroke, known as the golden hour, 30 percent of the patients will fully recover, he added.

Zamani also noted that it is crucial to equip hospitals and ambulances with proper facilities to offer the best possible services to stroke patients, he said.

He highlighted the important role of media in raising public awareness and appreciated the recent measures taken by the Health Ministry to improve the facilities for stroke patients.

In addition, Zamani underlined the importance of Depakine production in Iran and said that it is used to prevent migraine and treat certain types of seizures and bipolar disorder.

Depakine has been recently produced in Abidi pharmaceutical company in association with Sanofi, a French multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Paris.

MQ/EP