Organisation of stroke care

The care of a stroke patient is usually initiated on a general medical ward. Transfer of acute stroke patients to a specialised unit is possible in some hospitals.

The concepts of an acute stroke unit and a stroke rehabilitation unit have become important recently because of trial evidence that such wards improve the outcome for stroke patients.

A systematic review revealed that (1):

• stroke patients who receive organised inpatient care in a stroke unit are more likely to be alive, independent, and living at home one year after the stroke
  • benefits were most apparent in units based in a discrete ward
  • no systematic increase was observed in the length of inpatient stay

Reference:

• (1) Stroke Unit Trialists' Collaboration. Organised inpatient (stroke unit) care for stroke. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007 Oct 17;(4):CD000197