Author(s)

Nga Nomo Serge^1,2*, Kuitchet Aristide^3,4, Iroume Cristella^5,6, Djomo Tamchom^7,8, Chewa Gisèle¹, Hubel Kenne¹, Jemea Bonaventure^5,6, Nkoumou Samson¹, Pierre René Binyom², Binam Fidèle⁶

¹Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Essos Hospital Center, Yaounde, Cameroon.
²Higher Institute of Medical Technology, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon.
³Departement of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Regional Hospital of Maroua, Maroua, Cameroon.
⁴Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Science, University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundere, Cameroon.
⁵Departement of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, University Hospital Center of Yaounde, Yaounde, Cameroon.
⁶Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Science, University of Yaounde, Yaounde, Cameroon.
⁷Departement of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Douala Gynaeco-Obstetric and Paediatric Hospital, Douala, Cameroon.
⁸Faculty of Health Science, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon.

The general objective of this study was to assess the impact of the recognition of warning, signs of ischemic stroke, on the reduction of emergency admission times and the improvement of the prognosis of the patient suffering from ischemic stroke in the emergency department of the Yaounde central hospital. Methods: This was a prospective study with a descriptive and analytical aim carried out in the medical emergency department of the central hospital of Yaounde over a period of 3 months, going from October to December 2020. All patients admitted to emergency departement, during this period, for a diagnosis of ischemic stroke confirmed by a brain CT scan were included in the study. The data was collected on a survey sheet divided into 3 sections: the patient, the assessment of his knowledge and his reaction to the stroke. The variables studied were socio-demographic data, cardiovascular risk factors and warning signs of stroke. Data analysis was conducted with Census and Survey Processing System (CSPRO). Results: During the study period, 62 patients met the inclusion criteria. Adults under 50 (41.94%) were the most represented age group. The mean age of the patients was 52.3 years with ranges ranging from 36 to 82 years. The sex ratio was 1.38 in favor of women. The most common unmodifiable cardiovascular risk factor was age over 55 years 44%. High blood pressure 61% was the most common modifiable risk factor. More than half of the study population had no knowledge of the warning signs of ischemic stroke. The most well-known warning sign was 40% mouth deformation. The anamnesis noted that the weakness of the hemibody, the limb or the leg was found in our cohort in 77% of cases, followed by balance disorder (73%) and speech disorder (50%). The main associated sign was asthenia 32%. Direct admission to hospital through the emergency department was the first call for alert 58%, followed by self-medication 32% and seeking help from a family member 31%. The emergency department admission time was over 4 hours 30 minutes in more than half of the cases. Conclusion: Ischemic stroke is an important cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa in the acute phase. Information, education and communication about the warning signs of ischemic stroke reduce the time to emergency room visits and improve the prognosis of these patients.

Warning Signs, Ischemic Stroke, Emergencies

Serge, N. , Aristide, K. , Cristella, I. , Tamchom, D. , Gisèle, C. , Kenne, H. , Bonaventure, J. , Samson, N. , Binyom, P. and Fidèle, B. (2021) Recognition of Warning Signs by the Patient with Ischemic Stroke and Impact on Emergency Department Admission Times. Open Journal of Emergency Medicine, 9, 162-170. doi: 10.4236/ojem.2021.94016.