Integrated care approach for stroke

Stroke, a disease that occurs when the blood vessels that carry blood to the brain are suddenly interrupted, is a leading cause of disability and death. The factors that make someone more likely to have a stroke are in most cases the same for other diseases of the heart and blood vessels, such as risk factors for heart attack. Therefore, to reduce the likelihood of having another stroke, heart attack, or even dying, experts have recently recommended a more complete care approach in patients who have been diagnosed as having a stroke, called the “ABC” integrated care approach:

A – Appropriate medications to prevent/reduce blood clot

B – Better general and psychological wellbeing

C – Cardiovascular risk factors and lifestyle improvement

This study aims to find out the effect of having an integrated care approach on the possibility of having another stroke or other diseases of the heart and blood vessels or death, in patients who have already had a stroke. It will use patients’ electronic records from general practices and hospitals across the UK. Individual patients cannot be identified from the electronic health records that will be used. Patients who have been treated based on the integrated care approach, used fully or in part, will be compared with patients who have not.

The findings will provide evidence that could influence and improve the care that is provided to patients who have been diagnosed as having stroke. Providing more appropriate care could reduce the number of patients who end up with heart and blood vessel diseases including stroke or death.

Amount awarded: £9,006