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PubMed1996

Stroke management in Europe. Pan European Consensus Meeting on Stroke Management.

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability in Europe. Standards of care vary widely, and the introduction of simple standards will improve mortality and morbidity. It has been shown, in the absence of any medical treatment for acute stroke, that improving the organization of care for people with stroke significantly improves outcome. Recommendations are made for simple changes to the organization of care. Preventative measures after first stroke reduce incidence of subsequent stroke: these could be made widely available. Rehabilitation for those with persisting disability should be patient centred and commence immediately after the patient is alert and medically stable. Urgent research is required to find out which components of rehabilitation are important, and measures should be in place to ensure that all who require rehabilitation receive it from appropriately trained professionals. Population-based monitoring systems covering incidence, case fatality, mortality and disability should be put in place in all European Member States by the year 2005.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1995

Stroke: the global burden.

Stroke is a major global health problem. It is a major cause of mortality, morbidity and disability in developed and increasingly in less developed countries. Worldwide, it is the leading cause of healthy years lost in late adulthood, and evidence indicates that the burden of stroke, particularly in terms of morbidity and disability, will almost certainly increase in the foreseeable future. This review aims to generate a better understanding of the present and projected future global burden of stroke, with particular emphasis on the non-established market economy countries (NEMEC). The first part summarizes and interprets the currently available evidence on stroke mortality, incidence, case-fatality and related disability rates from both established and non-established market economy countries. The second part reviews the main risk factors for stroke. For the modifiable factors, it examines current prevalence rates in NEMEC with a view towards identifying patterns that are relevant for predicting future rates of the disease. Reversing the consequences of stroke is difficult, thus primary prevention is of utmost importance. The potential for prevention is illustrated by the experience of Japan, which in the last two decades has seen substantial declines in stroke mortality--mostly due to reductions in dietary salt intake. The last section discusses potential strategies and approaches to effective stroke prevention and highlights other areas that need to be addressed if stroke management in the coming decades is to be effective.

Age Factors↗