Stroke units save lives and improve outcomes, but we don’t have a Europe-wide applied standard of the essential elements of stroke unit care.
Despite over thirty years of evidence showing the difference stroke units make and despite their inclusion in European and national guidelines, it is estimated that only about 30% of stroke patients receive stroke unit care across Europe. This figure masks startling inequalities between countries, and in particular the East-West divide in stroke unit provision.
This section outlines the state of hospital care for stroke across Europe, including access to specialised stroke units and treatments.
