Case report

Stroke Unit - Where All Stroke Patients Should Be Treated

Tomislav Breitenfeld
Vesna Vargek-Solter
Višnja Supanc
Marina Roje-Bedeković
Vida Demarin

Abstract

Acute stroke is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and as the most important cause of morbidity and long-term disability imposes an enormous economic burden. Stroke units (SU) are an effective option to fight stroke. According to the European Stroke Organization, SU should provide coordinated multidisciplinary care provided by medical personnel specialized in stroke care. Helsingborg declaration from 1995 urged for organized management of acute stroke in order to reduce mortality below 200!o (SU for all stroke patients) and to achieve independency in more than 70% of 3-month stroke survivors. At the beginning of 2001, the first Croatian SU was established at Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital in Zagreb as a hospital ward with dedicated multidisciplinary stroke team consisting of neurologists specialized in the management of cerebrovascular disease, trained nurses and rehabilitation personnel, together with other professionals to enable treatment of stroke patients according to current guidelines.

Keywords

Stroke therapy; Intensive care units - trends; Intensive care units - utilization; Cerebrovascular disorders - therapy

Hrčak ID:

45281

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/45281

Publication date:

1.9.2009.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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