IMSS to Diagnose Cerebrovascular Accidents in Less than an Hour

The Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) introduced the Código Cerebro (Brain Code) strategy to provide a diagnosis in less than an hour for cerebrovascular accident (CVA) patients. The program will be implemented first in the National Medical Center Siglo XXI and later expanded to all of IMSS’s medical units. A pilot program launched in 2019 showed that this strategy reduces attention times, mortality and side effects.

“A CVA is equivalent to a heart attack: a part of the brain lacks blood and without early intervention it can cause the brain to stop functioning. This is the reason why there is a short amount of time to dissolve the clot”, said Gabriela Borrayo, Coordinator, IMSS Health Innovation.

To prevent CVA, the Código Cerebro strategy will offer fast diagnosis and early intervention. This program is part of the Protocols of Integral Attention (PAI) that train medical professionals in the prevention, early detection and diagnosis of diseases, as reported by MBN. The CVA PAI were developed by neurology, rehabilitation, radiology and cardiology specialists.

“Before the event occurs, IMSS will implement preventive health actions to identify risk factors and keep vulnerable patients from developing CVA,” said Borrayo.

The strategy aims to inform people about the main symptoms of the disease so they go to the hospital as soon as symptoms arise. Common symptoms of CVA include sudden difficulties while walking and talking, vision problems, confusion and numbness in several body parts. People over 60 years old and those who suffer from obesity, diabetes, hypertension or high cholesterol are at higher risk.

IMSS has two different approaches to this emergency, which follow international guidelines: dissolving the clot and removing it. Providing medical attention during the first hours of a CVA can lead to a more promising recovery forecast. IMSS also offers rehabilitation to patients suffering from CVA sequels.

“This program will save many lives in IMSS and this means that we have to be prepared and train our health professionals to diagnose and treat CVA as soon as possible,” added Borrayo

In cases of CVA, hemorrhagic events represent the highest mortality rate among all health institutions, reaching 31.8 deaths for each 100 patient admissions at IMSS, according to a report by CONAMED. The highest mortality linked to cerebral strokes is also attributed to IMSS, with 23.6 deaths for every 100 patients admitted for a cerebral stroke. Non-specified CVA cases represent the highest mortality rate among ISSSTE and SS.