Monday, 24 July 2017

Stroke- brain disease or circulatory disorder?







The  new International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-11) of the World Health Organization (WHO)'s has returned cerebrovascular diseases from the circulatory diseases chapter to diseases of the nervous system.

Raad Shakir, MD, Imperial College London, United Kingdom, and president of the World Federation of Neurology (WFN) proposed change of classification for cerebrovascular disease in an editional published in The Lancet in October 2016 and since then the WHO reclassify stroke as a cerebrovascular disease not  a circulatory disorder.



Dr Shakir, said that "There are very good reasons why the WHO neurology advocated that all types of stroke should form a single block in the new classification and be part of the nervous system disease chapter. All manifestations of cerebrovascular disease are related to brain dysfunction."

The statement notes that the ICD-10 currently in place is based on outdated medical knowledge and concepts. The new ICD-11, which has been under discussion since 2009, is aimed at reflecting the changes in science and practice and is slated for release in 2018.

In 1955, cerebrovascular diseases were reclassified as circulatory system diseases in the 7th edition of the ICD. WHO's idea then was that stroke is a condition affecting blood vessels. This decision to reclassify cerebrovascular diseases seemed contrary to the pathophysiology and symptoms leading to mortality and morbidity, which are those of brain dysfunction.

Stroke became a Cinderella disease, attracting little attention since it was thought that treatment was not available. Treatment of stroke has been revolutionised over the past 20 years, since the advent of stroke units, thrombolysis, and thrombectomy. Hyper acute stroke units save lives if ischaemic stroke is treated within the first 4·5 h. The incorrect classification of stroke led to delay in resource allocation and training of medical, radiological, and nursing staff who know how to deal with brain diseases. The link to low allocation of resources for stroke care is clear to see.





ICD -10 cerebrovascular diseases classification

 ICD -11 cerebrovascular diseases classification

Stroke- In disease of the Circulatory System
Single block of cerebrovascular disease within Diseases of the Nervous  System,

Includes definitions of all diagnostic codes.

Block includes TIA, Stroke and cerebrovascular diseases not causing  acute neurological dysfynction (silent cerebrovascular infarcts, cerebral microbleed)

Transient Ischemic attacks- In disease of the Nervous  System
Silent cerebrovascular disease- Under incidental imaging findings

All those new changes in the ICD -11 classification mean that if stroke occur, it occurs in the brain. Also, it provides more clarity and clinical usefulness. Stroke is no longer in the shadow of other cerebrovascular diseases.



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