The Hospital de Sant Pau has joined the campaign "My pharmacy, my health. All against stroke", promoted by the College of Pharmacists of Barcelona (COFB), Sandoz, and the Ictus Foundation, with the collaboration of OMRON. The aim is to raise public awareness about the importance of preventing stroke and early detection of key risk factors. The hospital, which is part of the initiative's clinical committee, has set up a mobile unit to assess the population's vascular risk through free tests.
The mobile unit will be open to the public on October 28 and 29, coinciding with World Stroke Day, at the Jardins d’Elx in Barcelona, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. This participation is part of Sant Pau's commitment as a tertiary center of reference in stroke management and research.
Dr. Pol Camps, coordinator of Sant Pau's Stroke Unit, emphasizes that "up to 70% of cases, with good control of vascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, obesity, or sedentary lifestyle, could be prevented." Stroke is the leading cause of acquired disability in adulthood and the leading cause of death in women.
In addition to the mobile campaign, on October 29, Sant Pau will organize an educational day at the Hospital for caregivers of stroke patients, offering knowledge and resources for daily care.
The mobile unit will offer a free health circuit with five stations to assess vascular risk: initial screening of blood pressure and pulse, anthropometric assessment (weight, height, abdominal perimeter), basic blood tests (lipid profile and blood glucose), vascular risk calculation using the SCORE2 index, and personalized medical and pharmaceutical advice with referral to reference centers if necessary.
The president of the College of Pharmacists of Barcelona, Jordi Casas, highlights that the campaign "brings health services and screening closer to the population" and emphasizes the importance of collaboration between pharmacists, primary care physicians, and neurologists. The director of the Ictus Foundation, Esther Duarte, adds that "1 in 4 people will suffer a stroke in their lifetime," but that "up to 90% of strokes could be prevented by acting on risk factors."
For his part, Jaime Ponsa, Retail Head of Sandoz Iberia, states that "community pharmacies, due to their proximity and accessibility, play a key role" in stroke prevention and early detection.
The Hospital de Sant Pau is a reference center for stroke care, accredited as a Stroke Center by the European Stroke Organisation (ESO) since 2020 and participating in the Catalan Stroke Code (CICAT).
