Norway best in Europe on stroke treatment

Norway best in Europe on stroke treatment.Photo: Nasjonalt Servicemiljø for medisinske kvalitetsregistre

Stroke management in Norway is very good, and is among the top in Europe. However, there are still large variations between hospitals.
These figures come from the Norwegian Stroke Registry.

76% of patients who suffer a stroke are placed directly on a stroke unit so that treatment can begin quickly. These are internationally significant figures. Over 87 percent have stroke unit treatment. 17% of patients under 80 years receive thrombolysis (clot dissolving treatment), which is one of the highest proportions in Europe.

– These results suggest that stroke treatment in Norway is of very good quality, says Hild Fjærtoft, general manager at Norwegian Stroke Registry.

That patients are placed directly on stroke units, when they arrive at hospitals seems to be a well-established practice in many hospitals. There are still wide variations in practice between hospitals, though.

– If this is because the routines are not good enough or because of a lack of beds at stroke units is another question, but the hospitals that are way down the stats should look at their treatment routines. Those hospitals that do not have a stroke unit established by their hospitals, should consider the establishment of this, she says.

Stroke Registry has defined 11 quality indicators for good stroke treatment. Nationally, the target of very good quality has been reached for 3 of these quality indicators (related to clot dissolving treatment and use of cholesterol-lowering drugs) and the target for good quality has been on 7 indicators. Only one of the 11 indicators for good stroke treatment is still low at achieving target (test of swallowing function).

Based on the inputted 8,409 patients in 2014 85% were of brain layers clot (ischemic stroke), 13% were cerebral hemorrhage and 2% unknown. 46% of those who received a stroke in 2014 were women and the mean age was 78 years for women. 54% were men and their mean age was 72 years.

 

Source: Nasjonalt Servicemiljø for medisinske kvalitetsregistre / Norway Today