According to the third revised edition of the world map for Multiple Sclerosis, more than 2.800.000 people suffer from the disease worldwide. In Europe the number of patients is estimated at 1.000.000, in Greece it is 20.000 and in Cyprus around 2.500.
In a statement, the Pancypriot Association of Nurses and Midwives (PASYNM) on the occasion of World Multiple Sclerosis Day, which is May 30, states that health professionals are well aware of the difficulties and challenges faced by people with Multiple Sclerosis and their families in the their daily life.
It is reported that in Cyprus, the Government, the Ministry of Health, the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare, the Institute of Neurology and Genetics, the Neurological Society of Cyprus, the Department of Neurological Nursing of PASYNM, as well as Associations of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis contribute to the maximum in ensuring a normal life for patients with Multiple Sclerosis through early diagnosis and individualized treatment without excluding them from society.
It is noted that Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the Central Nervous System (brain and spinal cord) which destroys myelin, the protective layer that covers the nerves that carry signals to and from the central nervous system. Over time, the affected areas change texture and create scars (sclerae - more widely known as plaques or lesions) especially in the white matter of the brain and spine - hence the name "Plaque Sclerosis".
The main etiology of the disease is considered to be a disorder of the immune system (a combination of genetic and toxic - environmental factors) which causes an alteration of the blood-brain barrier and the entry of lymphocytes into the Central Nervous System with a toxic effect.
Multiple Sclerosis is most common in 20-40 year olds, with a 3 to 1 ratio of women to men, and is rarely diagnosed in children or people over the age of 65. Clinically, it manifests itself in four main forms (Intermittent/Recurrent, Secondary progressive, Primary progressive, Progressive relapsing) and each form varies in severity and symptoms which may differ from person to person.
Recent research has shown that Multiple Sclerosis is the most common neurological disease of young adults and is the leading cause of non-traumatic disability in young and middle-aged adults with progressive loss of productivity and daily challenges. For this reason, the diagnosis and management of the disease must be done at the Multiple Sclerosis Centers, by a multidisciplinary team of health professionals who are specialized in the management of the disease.
"With the application of newer treatments (immunomodulatory and symptomatic) and proper follow-up, the course of the disease is controlled so that patients continue to be functional and enjoy the best possible standard of life," the announcement states.
Neurological medical and nursing coverage is carried out by neurologists and nurses with many years of experience in all forms and severity of Multiple Sclerosis.
Health professionals are constantly updated on all developments worldwide, with their participation in international, European and domestic conferences, as they are active members of international and Cypriot scientific societies. In addition, they actively participate and conduct research projects with a large number of patients, he concludes.
