Stroke remains the second-leading cause of death and the third-leading cause of death and disability combined (as expressed by disability-adjusted life-years lost – DALYs) in the world. The estimated ...global cost of stroke is over US$721 billion (0.66% of the global GDP). From 1990 to 2019, the burden (in terms of the absolute number of cases) increased substantially (70.0% increase in incident strokes, 43.0% deaths from stroke, 102.0% prevalent strokes, and 143.0% DALYs), with the bulk of the global stroke burden (86.0% of deaths and 89.0% of DALYs) residing in lower-income and lower-middle-income countries (LMIC). This World Stroke Organisation (WSO) Global Stroke Fact Sheet 2022 provides the most updated information that can be used to inform communication with all internal and external stakeholders; all statistics have been reviewed and approved for use by the WSO Executive Committee as well as leaders from the Global Burden of Disease research group.
To determine the incidence rate of inpatient stroke-induced aphasia in Ontario, Canada, and to examine the demographic and clinical characteristics for stroke patients with and without aphasia.
Age- ...and sex-specific incidence rates for aphasia in Ontario were calculated using the Ontario Stroke Audit. In addition, data collected from the Registry of the Canadian Stroke Network (RCSN) were used to determine the demographic and clinical characteristics for stroke patients with and without aphasia.
All hospitals and regional stroke centers in Ontario, Canada.
The Ontario Stroke Audit is a representative weighted sample of more than 3000 stroke inpatients admitted to emergency departments in all hospitals in Ontario within the 2004/2005 fiscal year. RCSN data included a cohort of more than 15,000 consecutive patients presenting with stroke at 12 regional stroke centers in Ontario from 2003 to 2007.
Not applicable.
Presence of aphasic symptoms on admission to hospital and at discharge, age and sex, stroke type and severity, severity of disability, services received in hospital, length of stay, and discharge destination.
Thirty-five percent (1131/3207) of adult patients admitted with a diagnosis of stroke in the province of Ontario during the 2004 to 2005 Ontario Stroke Audit had symptoms of aphasia at the time of discharge. This amounts to an incidence rate of 60 per 100,000 persons per year. Risk of aphasia increased significantly with age. In comparison with nonaphasic stroke patients, patients with aphasia were older, presented with more severe strokes on admission, had more severe disability, and were more frequently discharged to long-term care and/or rehabilitation (unadjusted results). Adjusting for stroke severity, age, sex, comorbidity, and stroke subtype, the presence of aphasia was found to be an independent predictor of longer hospital stays, increased use of rehabilitation services, and higher rates of thrombolytic therapy.
A significant number of people with stroke experience aphasia, with advancing age associated with a higher risk. The profile and patterns for stroke patients with aphasia differed significantly from those who did not experience aphasia as a residual disability after stroke, particularly in relation to service usage. Given the personal and system cost associated with aphasia, best practices in the area of stroke should include recommendations on how to best serve this population throughout the clinical pathway.
The sixth update of the Canadian Stroke Best Practice Recommendations: Rehabilitation, Recovery, and Reintegration following Stroke. Part one: Rehabilitation and Recovery Following Stroke is a ...comprehensive set of evidence-based guidelines addressing issues surrounding impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions following stroke. Rehabilitation is a critical component of recovery, essential for helping patients to regain lost skills, relearn tasks, and regain independence. Following a stroke, many people typically require rehabilitation for persisting deficits related to hemiparesis, upper-limb dysfunction, pain, impaired balance, swallowing, and vision, neglect, and limitations with mobility, activities of daily living, and communication. This module addresses interventions related to these issues as well as the structure in which they are provided, since rehabilitation can be provided on an inpatient, outpatient, or community basis. These guidelines also recognize that rehabilitation needs of people with stroke may change over time and therefore intermittent reassessment is important. Recommendations are appropriate for use by all healthcare providers and system planners who organize and provide care to patients following stroke across a broad range of settings. Unlike the previous set of recommendations, in which pediatric stroke was included, this set of recommendations includes primarily adult rehabilitation, recognizing many of these therapies may be applicable in children. Recommendations related to community reintegration, which were previously included within this rehabilitation module, can now be found in the companion module, Rehabilitation, Recovery, and Community Participation following Stroke. Part Two: Transitions and Community Participation Following Stroke.
Background
Stroke risk is increased during pregnancy, but estimates of pregnancy-related stroke incidence vary widely.
Aims
A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to assess the incidence ...of stroke during pregnancy and the puerperium. Ovid Medline, EMBASE, and ISI Web of Science were searched for studies published between 1990 and January 2017 reporting stroke incidence during pregnancy and postpartum, from defined pregnancy populations. Pooled analyses were conducted using a random effects approach and expressed as an incidence rate per 100,000 pregnancies, with 95% confidence intervals. Subgroup analyses of stroke type and timing were conducted.
Summary of review
Eleven studies met inclusion criteria. Variation in estimated rates was noted based on geography and study methodology. The pooled crude rate of pregnancy-related stroke was 30.0 per 100,000 pregnancies (95% confidence interval 18.8–47.9). The pooled crude rates from nonhemorrhagic stroke (arterial and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis) were 19.9 (95% confidence interval 10.7–36.9) and from hemorrhage 12.2 (95% confidence interval 6.4–23.2) per 100,000 pregnancies. For studies separately reporting cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, the rates were roughly equal between ischemic stroke (12.2, 95% confidence interval 6.7–22.2), cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (9.1, 95% confidence interval 4.3–18.9), and hemorrhage (12.2, 95% confidence interval 6.4–23.2). The crude stroke rate for antenatal/perinatal stroke was 18.3 (95% confidence interval 11.9–28.2), and for postpartum stroke was 14.7 (95% confidence interval 8.3–26.1).
Conclusions
Stroke affects 30.0 per 100,000 pregnancies, with ischemia, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, and hemorrhage causing roughly equal numbers and with highest risk peripartum and postpartum. Organized approaches to the management of this high-risk population, informed by existing evidence from stroke and obstetrical care are needed.
Warfarin is the most effective stroke prevention medication for high-risk individuals with atrial fibrillation, yet it is often underused. This study examined the magnitude of this problem in a large ...contemporary, prospective stroke registry.
We analyzed data from the Registry of the Canadian Stroke Network, a prospective database of consecutive patients with stroke admitted to 12 designated stroke centers in Ontario (2003 to 2007). We included patients admitted with an acute ischemic stroke who (1) had a known history of atrial fibrillation; (2) were classified as high risk for systemic emboli according to published guidelines; and (3) had no known contraindications to anticoagulation. Primary end points were the use of prestroke antithrombotic medications and admission international normalized ratio.
Among patients admitted with a first ischemic stroke who had known atrial fibrillation (n=597), strokes were disabling in 60% and fatal in 20%. Preadmission medications were warfarin (40%), antiplatelet therapy (30%), and no antithrombotics (29%). Of those taking warfarin, three fourths had a subtherapeutic international normalized ratio (<2.0) at the time of stroke admission. Overall, only 10% of patients with acute stroke with known atrial fibrillation were therapeutically anticoagulated (international normalized ratio >/=2.0) at admission. In stroke patients with a history of atrial fibrillation and a previous transient ischemic attack or ischemic stroke (n=323), only 18% were taking warfarin with therapeutic international normalized ratio at the time of admission for stroke, 39% were taking warfarin with subtherapeutic international normalized ratio, and 15% were on no antithrombotic therapy.
In high-risk patients with atrial fibrillation admitted with a stroke, and who were candidates for anticoagulation, most were either not taking warfarin or were subtherapeutic at the time of ischemic stroke. Many were on no antithrombotic therapy. These findings should encourage greater efforts to prescribe and monitor appropriate antithrombotic therapy to prevent stroke in individuals with atrial fibrillation.
The sixth update of the Canadian Stroke Best Practice Recommendations for Transitions and Community Participation following Stroke is a comprehensive set of evidence-based guidelines addressing ...issues faced by people following an acute stroke event. Establishing a coordinated and seamless system of care that supports progress achieved during the initial recovery stages throughout the transition to the community is more essential than ever as the medical complexity of people with stroke is also on the rise. All members of the health-care team engaged with people with stroke, their families, and caregivers are responsible for partnerships and collaborations to ensure successful transitions and return to the community following stroke. These guidelines reinforce the growing and changing body of research evidence available to guide ongoing screening, assessment, and management of individuals following stroke as they move from one phase and stage of care to the next without “falling through the cracks.” It also recognizes the growing role of family and informal caregivers in providing significant hours of support that disrupt their own lives and responsibilities and addresses their support and educational needs. According to Statistics Canada, in 2012, eight million Canadians provided care to family members or friends with a long-term health condition, disability, or problems associated with aging. These recommendations incorporate aspects that were previously in the rehabilitation module for the purposes of streamlining, and both modules should be reviewed in order to provide comprehensive care addressing recovery and community reintegration and participation. These recommendations cover topics related to support and education of people with stroke, families, and caregivers during transitions and community reintegration. They include interprofessional planning and communication, return to driving, vocational roles, leisure activities and relationships and sexuality, and transition to long-term care.
The 2019 update of the Canadian Stroke Best Practice Recommendations (CSBPR) for Mood, Cognition and Fatigue following Stroke is a comprehensive set of evidence-based guidelines addressing three ...important issues that can negatively impact the lives of people who have had a stroke. These include post-stroke depression and anxiety, vascular cognitive impairment, and post-stroke fatigue. Following stroke, approximately 20% to 50% of all persons may be affected by at least one of these conditions. There may also be overlap between conditions, particularly fatigue and depression. If not recognized and treated in a timely matter, these conditions can lead to worse long-term outcomes. The theme of this edition of the CSBPR is Partnerships and Collaborations, which stresses the importance of integration and coordination across the healthcare system to ensure timely and seamless care to optimize recovery and outcomes. Accordingly, these recommendations place strong emphasis on the importance of timely screening and assessments, and timely and adequate initiation of treatment across care settings. Ideally, when screening is suggestive of a mood or cognition issue, patients and families should be referred for in-depth assessment by healthcare providers with expertise in these areas. As the complexity of patients treated for stroke increases, continuity of care and strong communication among healthcare professionals, and between members of the healthcare team and the patient and their family is an even bigger imperative, as stressed throughout the recommendations, as they are critical elements to ensure smooth transitions from acute care to active rehabilitation and reintegration into their community.
The 2020 update of the Canadian Stroke Best Practice Recommendations (CSBPR) for the Secondary Prevention of Stroke includes current evidence-based recommendations and expert opinions intended for ...use by clinicians across a broad range of settings. They provide guidance for the prevention of ischemic stroke recurrence through the identification and management of modifiable vascular risk factors. Recommendations address triage, diagnostic testing, lifestyle behaviors, vaping, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, other cardiac conditions, antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapies, and carotid and vertebral artery disease. This update of the previous 2017 guideline contains several new or revised recommendations. Recommendations regarding triage and initial assessment of acute transient ischemic attack (TIA) and minor stroke have been simplified, and selected aspects of the etiological stroke workup are revised. Updated treatment recommendations based on new evidence have been made for dual antiplatelet therapy for TIA and minor stroke; anticoagulant therapy for atrial fibrillation; embolic strokes of undetermined source; low-density lipoprotein lowering; hypertriglyceridemia; diabetes treatment; and patent foramen ovale management. A new section has been added to provide practical guidance regarding temporary interruption of antithrombotic therapy for surgical procedures. Cancer-associated ischemic stroke is addressed. A section on virtual care delivery of secondary stroke prevention services in included to highlight a shifting paradigm of care delivery made more urgent by the global pandemic. In addition, where appropriate, sex differences as they pertain to treatments have been addressed. The CSBPR include supporting materials such as implementation resources to facilitate the adoption of evidence into practice and performance measures to enable monitoring of uptake and effectiveness of recommendations.
Every two seconds, someone across the globe suffers a symptomatic stroke. ‘Silent’
cerebrovascular disease insidiously contributes to worldwide disability by causing
cognitive impairment in the ...elderly. The risk of cerebrovascular disease is
disproportionately higher in low to middle income countries where there may be barriers to
stroke care. The last two decades have seen a major transformation in the stroke field
with the emergence of evidence-based approaches to stroke prevention, acute stroke
management, and stroke recovery. The current challenge lies in implementing these
interventions, particularly in regions with high incidences of stroke and limited
healthcare resources. The Global Stroke Services Action Plan was conceived as a tool to
identifying key elements in stroke care across a continuum of health models.
At the minimal level of resource availability, stroke care delivery is
based at a local clinic staffed predominantly by non-physicians. In this environment,
laboratory tests and diagnostic studies are scarce, and much of the emphasis is placed on
bedside clinical skills, teaching, and prevention. The essential services
level offers access to a CT scan, physicians, and the potential for acute thrombolytic
therapy, however stroke expertise may still be difficult to access. At the
advanced stroke services level, multidisciplinary stroke expertise,
multimodal imaging, and comprehensive therapies are available. A national plan for stroke
care should incorporate local and regional strengths and build upon them.
This clinical practice guideline is a synopsis of the core recommendations and quality
indicators adapted from ten high quality multinational stroke guidelines. It can be used
to establish the current level of stroke services, target goals for expanding stroke
resources, and ensuring that all stages of stroke care are being adequately addressed,
even at the advanced stroke services level. This document is a start, but
there is more to be done, particularly in the realm of primary prevention.
Despite differences in resource availability, the message we wish to convey is that
stroke awareness, education, prevention, and treatment should always be feasible.
Communities and institutions should set goals to continuously expand their stroke service
capabilities. This document is intended to augment stroke advocacy efforts throughout the
world, providing a strategic plan for optimizing stroke outcomes.
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