A stroke occurs when there is a rupture in an intracranial artery (hemorrhagic stroke) or an obstruction in the blood flow in the brain (due to a clot, for example, this is called an ischemic stroke). When this happens, blood circulation is greatly reduced or interrupted, which affects the normal activity of the brain and, therefore, the various functions it has, of 'commanding' the organism (strength, sensitivity, speech-language). Here begins a time trial process to save brain cells. For this reason, doctors usually say that 'time is brain', precisely to emphasize how quickly the assistance in a stroke is decisive, one of the main causes of dependency and death. It is estimated that there are 25,000 new strokes per year in Portugal, which translates into approximately 70 new cases per day. Of these 25,000 cases, 10% will die and 35% will be dependent on third parties for their basic daily activities: eating, dressing, or bathing. In this new edition of the Hospital Beatriz Ângelo (HBA) magazine, we learn about how the multidisciplinary teams of HBA specialists act to respond in time to these patients and what symptoms should make us call 112 immediately. With the cover title ' AVC: a corrida para salvar o cérebro ', this new issue also talks about how the HBA monitors patients with the so-called 'long covid': they are patients who had Covid-19 and maintain complaints for months after hospital discharge. Covid-19 and the consequences of the pandemic remain the order of the day. For this reason, the new edition of the magazine 'Information Luz Saúde Beatriz Ângelo' shows how the Hospital is working to resume activity, to recover consultations and surgeries interrupted during the pandemic, and dedicates several pages to the appeal of our specialists so that the population do not neglect surveillance of their chronic illnesses and overall health prevention. The run that marathon runner Rui Martins did for 12 hours around the HBA building, in an original tribute to health professionals, and the safety precautions that we must all continue to take, because Covid-19 has not disappeared, are also themes that can be read in this new edition of the HBA magazine. The ‘Informação Luz Saúde Beatriz Ângelo’ magazine has 100,000 copies and is freely distributed to the homes of the inhabitants of the 4 municipalities in the Hospital area of influence – Loures, Odivelas, Mafra and Sobral de Monte Agraço. It can also be found, and taken home, in the waiting rooms of the HBA. Read the magazine here
