Establishment of Stroke Treatment Plans: One Hospitalʼs Experience

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Abstract
Stroke remains one of the major causes of death and permanent disability in the United States, ranking as the third leading cause of death behind heart disease and cancer. It affects an estimated 700,000 persons each year; about two-thirds of those with a new or recurrent stroke survive. The aggregate cost of stroke in the United States is more than $40 billion per year, with an average cost per case of approximately $50,000.6 With the advent of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) for acute stroke, clinical pathways have been developed to provide efficient care to acute stroke patients. Efforts must be aimed at educating the public and all members of the healthcare team about proper stroke care. Surprisingly, only 20%-30% of all hospitals have stroke teams in place. To bring stroke care into the 21st century, this deficiency must be addressed and additional treatment agents such as neuroprotective medications need to be approved.

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