Quality of Stroke Care: What Could Be Improved, and How? - Volume II

This is the second volume of the Research Topic titled 'Quality of Stroke Care: What Could Be Improved, and How?'. You may find the first volume linked here.

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and long-term disability worldwide. Modern reperfusion therapy improves the outcome of stroke, however only a small proportion of stroke patients receive it. Despite high-quality clinical studies indicating this treatment in stroke units significantly improves stroke outcomes and decreases mortality, modern stroke care, including before and during clinical stages, remains a challenge in most countries. The identification of gaps and barriers for improving stroke care is highly relevant to enhancing prognosis outcomes. Furthermore, post-acute phases such as care, rehabilitation, and secondary stroke prevention are also highly important aspects related to the quality of care for stroke.

One of the most important points to improving stroke care is having knowledge about the real situation, which will help identify the barriers at each stage. Clinical studies can potentially improve the treatment of acute stroke patients, while also improving early and late secondary stroke prevention and rehabilitation. However, international cooperation is also needed to identify and solve regional problems. For example, the discussion regarding the advantage of “drip and ship” and the “mothership” model is still open and another unresolved question is the time before (re)initiation of anticoagulants in cardioembolic stroke patients.

This Research Topic welcomes manuscripts supported by the Journal – comprised of original research, brief research report, review, and mini-review – pertaining, but not limited to the following themes:
• Organization of the stroke service in the pre-hospital stage.
• Public awareness regarding recognition of stroke signs.
• Barriers to access the reperfusion treatment at local, regional, and national levels.
• Organization of the stroke service in the hospital, including the stroke unit.
• The role of education of medical staff (paramedics, neurologists, nurses, etc.)
• Rehabilitation after the acute stage of stroke, including long-term rehabilitation.
• Secondary prevention of stroke and management of post-stroke patients in outpatient clinics.
• Stroke management in different countries.