BMJ  2008;336:461 (1 March), doi:10.1136/bmj.39500.434086.1F

Letters

Long term outcome of stroke

Stroke is a chronic disease with acute events

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Bruins et al and the accompanying editorial on stroke care make a compelling case for reviewing conventional policy approaches to stroke, which often show a dysequilibrium towards the (very important) front end of stroke, and a relative agnosia for (equally important) aftercare.¹ Although it is clearly very important that all should have access to stroke unit care (and thrombolysis for those for whom it is indicated), most patients will still have residual disability after both of these interventions and will be more prone to further strokes than the rest of the population. Comprehensive national audits of stroke care show alarming levels of neglect in terms of chronic disease management and seem to indicate a collective nihilism about the potential for altering function and wellbeing after the early treatment of stroke,² despite evidence of the effectiveness of continuing therapy and support at long intervals after stroke.³

We need to ensure that . . . [Full text of this article]

¹ Irish National Audit of Stroke Care, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2, Republic of Ireland

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Related Article

Impact of functional status at six months on long term survival in patients with ischaemic stroke: prospective cohort studies

Karsten Bruins Slot, Eivind Berge, Paul Dorman, Steff Lewis, Martin Dennis, Peter Sandercock on behalf of the Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project, the International Stroke Trial (UK), and the Lothian Stroke Register
BMJ 2008 336: 376-379. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]