INEM reports that only 57% of stroke victims call 112 in the first two hours.

Only 57% of users with signs of a stroke call 112 within the first two hours after the onset of symptoms, reports the National Institute of Emergency Medicine (INEM).

INEM emphasizes that the first hours after the onset of stroke symptoms are essential to ensure the effectiveness of key treatments, and according to data from the first quarter of 2023, only 57% of 3,647 users who attended hospital sought help in the first 120 minutes.

“INEM reminds that in case of lack of strength in the arm, side mouth and difficulty speaking, users should immediately call the European emergency number 112,” the organization emphasized this Saturday in a statement.

On the eve of World Stroke Day, which is observed annually on October 29, INEM said that after the call was transferred, all the information requested by INEM’s Center for Urgent Patient Services (CODU) “so that the correct screening and referral of all persons suspected of having a stroke can be carried out.” .

According to INEM, the published data reflects a higher number of records of patients referred to the most appropriate hospitals through Via Verde do AVC compared to previous years.

The increase, explained in the same note, is the result of the implementation of ITEAMS, a tool that allows us to quickly assess the severity of patients and thus speed up the rescue process.

“This tool allows you to issue alerts about the severity of the disease, bring CODU medical regulation closer to operational means and optimize the chain of transmission of clinical information – from the event to the delivery of the patient to the hospital,” the organization explained.

ITEAMS (INEM Tool for Emergency Medical Alert System) operates in all INEM emergency medical services and in 115 units of the Integrated Emergency Medical System, which includes firefighters and the Portuguese Red Cross.

INEM adds that in the first half of the year, the Porto district recorded the highest number of cases, with 725 patients, followed by Lisbon with 683 cases and Braga with 261 cases.

Centro Hospitalar e Universitário Lisboa Norte – Hospital Santa Maria in Lisbon was the hospital that received the most cases of suspected stroke through Via Verde do AVC, with 281 entries, Hospital García de Orta in Almada had 192 cases admitted and hospital Bragi 173 users.

As part of World Stroke Day, INEM is launching a free training on its e-learning platform on Sunday, aimed at the general public, entitled “Learning about Stroke”.