European governments are being urged to take rapid and decisive action on stroke care following publication of the updated Stroke Action Plan for Europe in the European Stroke Journal. The plan calls for the implementation and proper funding of comprehensive national stroke strategies aligned with its evidence-based recommendations, warning that further delays will cost lives and increase long-term disability.
The renewed call comes alongside recent findings from the OECD report on cardiovascular health in the European Union, which identifies stroke as the second leading cause of death from cardiovascular disease and a major cause of acquired long-term disability. Together, these data highlight the scale of the challenge facing European health systems.
Developed jointly by the European Stroke Organisation and the Stroke Alliance for Europe, the Stroke Action Plan for Europe provides a roadmap to reduce the burden of stroke by 2030. It builds on progress made since the first plan was launched in 2018, while also drawing attention to persistent gaps in prevention, emergency response, rehabilitation and long-term support after stroke.
| Sign up to the ACNR email newsletter here |
Evidence from the 2023 Stroke Services Tracker, which collected data from 47 countries, underpins the updated plan. While more countries now report having national stroke plans, significant inequalities remain. Access to acute interventions such as thrombectomy varies widely, with only seven countries achieving the recommended door-to-groin time of 60 minutes or less. In contrast, delays exceed 90 minutes in 12 countries, substantially reducing the likelihood of good recovery. Long-term care is also limited, with only 13 countries reporting dedicated programmes for life after stroke and structured follow-up remaining uncommon.
The plan outlines targets across seven domains, including primary and secondary prevention, organisation of stroke services, acute management, rehabilitation, outcome evaluation and life after stroke. Measurable benchmarks are provided to help countries track progress and accountability.
Leaders from both organisations emphasise that stroke must be addressed as both an acute emergency and a lifelong condition, requiring coordinated action across health and social care systems. Policymakers are being urged to work closely with people with lived experience, clinicians and stroke support organisations to ensure equitable, high-quality stroke care across Europe.
This news item has been summarised using AI and checked by humans before publication.
Sources
European Stroke Journal
OECD
European Stroke Organisation
Stroke Alliance for Europe
| Sign up for our online community for neurology specialists |
