The centre, opened at the end of May, is the first such centre in Croatia and it is a member of the European Network for the Cure of ALS (ENCALS).
"Rijeka neurologists have worked on identifying the early symptoms of the disease and together with the nursing service they care for ALS patients for the entire duration of the disease and assist them and their families. Care for such patients is multidisciplinary and it involves pulmonologists, gastroenterologists, physiotherapists, psychologists, palliative care specialists, ALS nurses, and as of recently speech pathologists," the head of the Rijeka University Hospital Centre Neurology Department, Vladimira Vuletic, said.
ALS is a neurological disease that gradually leads to muscle paralysis, disability and eventually death.
It causes the death of neurons which control voluntary muscles. ALS is characterized by stiff muscles, muscle twitching, and gradually worsening weakness due to muscles decreasing in size. This results in difficulty speaking, swallowing, and eventually breathing.
It mostly affects middle-aged people and men are more affected than women. The incidence rate is 1-2 per 100,000.
There is no cure for ALS and its exact causes are still not known. Aside from gene mutation, researchers believe it is caused by disorganized immune response, chemical imbalance, and mishandling of proteins. According to some studies, smoking increases the risk of ALS as does lead exposure.