Insights in Neurosurgery

Attempts to prevent falls after stroke

4^th International Conference on Neurodegenerative Disorders and Stroke
July 05-06, 2017 Frankfurt, Germany

Simge KALAV and Hicran BEKTAS

Akdeniz University, Turkey

ScientificTracks Abstracts: Neurosurg

DOI: 10.21767/2471-9633-C1-002

Abstract

Stroke is a serious condition causing to altered physical, cognitive and psychological impairments specifically related to the problem of falls in this population. Falling can lead to a new fall, fear of falling, serious injuries, restriction of daily living activities, and hospital admission. The interventions categorized according to the taxonomy developed by the Prevention of Falls Network Europe are exercises, medication, surgery, management of urinary incontinence, fluid or nutrition therapy, psychological intervention, environment/assistive technology, environmental/social environment, and knowledge interventions (Lamb 2007; Lamb 2011; Verheyden et al., 2013). Studies have been carried out to assess the effects of exercise in the acute, subacute and chronic phases after stroke on the frequency of falls. It has been found that there is no significant effect in reducing the frequency of exercise falls in studies (Dean, 2010; Dean 2012; Batchelor 2012). In a study in which the preventive effect of medical treatment was assessed, there was a significant difference in the reduction of falls compared to the placebo group in patients receiving vitamin D supplementation (Sato 2005). Preventing the causes of dizziness, dehydration and other dietary problems, blood pressure problems, or visual problems caused by the stroke; improving the leg muscle weakness with an appropriate exercise, and appropriate devices; carrying out home safety assessment, helping for the cognitive impairment with home care can be done to prevent falls by health professionals. More research is needed to provide conclusive evidence of the efficacy of these interventions regarding the prevention of falls in individuals with stroke.

Biography

Simge KALAV is a 32 years old. she graduated from School of Health in 2008. She got her master's degree in the field of medical nursing in 2011. Her master thesis was about "The Relationship Between Caregiving Burden and Quality of Life in Family Caregivers of Stroke Patients". she worked as a nurse in an intensive care unit of a state hospital about 3 years. Now, she is a PhD student (nursing doctoral education). she also work as a research assistant in Faculty of Nursing at Akdeniz University. Her interesting area is stroke / symptom management and caregivers. Now she is preparing for a PhD thesis about problems related to ischemic stroke and self-management.

Email: simge.kalav@gmail.com