American Heart Association Outlines Key Elements for Optimizing In-Hospital Stroke Care

Ethan Cumbler, MD

The American Heart Association (AHA) has released a new scientific statement detailing a set of 5 elements to optimize in-hospital treatment of stroke.

Published in the AHA’s journal Stroke on February 9, the statement was also the subject of a discussion in a symposium at the association’s annual International Stroke Conference (ISC).

An 11-page document with more than 50 references, the statement was composed by a 9-person writing committee led by Ethan U. Cumbler, MD. Created on behalf of the AHA’s Stroke Council, Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing, Council on Clinical Cardiology, and Council on Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health, the statement is broken down into 5 main sections and also provides an overview of the literature review performed to identify information included in the statement.

The 5 sections of the statement outlined contemporary data related to epidemiology, evaluation, treatment, and outcomes as well as challenges, limitations, and stroke systems of care. As part of the writing process, the statement authors outlined 5 key points for optimization of in-hospital stroke care.

A press release from the AHA also pointed out the American Academy of Neurology affirmed the value of the statement as an educational tool for neurologists and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Congress of Neurological Surgeons Cerebrovascular Section affirmed the educational benefit of this statement.

This statement, “Identifying Best Practices to Improve Evaluation and Management of In-Hospital Stroke: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association,” was published in Stroke.