Intravenous thrombolysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator is now the standard treatment for patients with acute ischemic stroke and is recommended by the Thai Stroke Guidelines. The first patients ever treated with intravenous thrombolysis was in 1996 and later on, the stroke fast track program was developed, initiated, and implemented by and at King Chulalongkorn Memorial hospital.30,31 The stroke fast track program is a hospital system designed to allow medical triage personnel at the hospital to identify patients with stroke early on in order to take proactive measures for prompt investigation and management with the stroke team. Leading to a higher number of acute stroke patients receiving intravenous thrombolysis within the critical window of time, the stroke fast track system has proven successful. At present, the fast track system has been adopted by many other university hospitals as well as regional, provincial, and some community hospitals.
For all Thai citizens, treatment costs can be reimbursed from the Universal Coverage Program provided by the National Health Security Office. According to the Ministry of Public Health, the proportion of patients receiving intravenous thrombolysis among those with acute ischemic stroke or acute stroke in Thailand has increased from 0.38% in 2008 to 1.95% in 2012. Although this figure is encouraging, one significant gap in acute stroke care is public education regarding stroke warning signs and act on stroke in Thailand.
The Stroke Unit is a critical component towards the betterment of stroke care in the country.32 Current data show that there are more than 110 stroke units across Thailand, mostly in regional and provincial hospitals. However, according to the Thai Stroke Registry, only one-fourth of patients were admitted to a specialized acute stroke care unit. The proportion of stroke unit admission was higher in university hospitals (50%) compared to 17.1% and 3.4% in regional and community hospitals, respectively. In the acute period, most ischemic stroke patients received aspirin within 48 hours of admission (71%).
As for secondary stroke prevention, antiplatelet was used in 80% of the cases. High rates of statin treatments were also noted. Seventy-three percent of patients received statin on discharge. After discharge, most Thai patients return home and are taken care of by family members. There are very few patients placed in nursing care facilities. This is due to cultural influences of Thai families where large extended families provide care for ailing family members.
In conclusion, stroke is a major health burden in Thailand. It is the leading cause of death and long term disability. The incidence of stroke in Thailand is now being studied in a large cohort. The estimated prevalence of stroke is 1.88% among adults 45 years and older. Stroke is more prevalent in men and the mean age of stroke onset is 65 years. Hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, and atrial fibrillation are major risk factors of stroke in the Thai population. Significant economic and health transitions from predominantly rural to urbanized communities may be responsible for the increasing prevalence of these risk factors. Similar to other parts of the world, ischemic stroke accounts for the majority of strokes but there is a higher proportion of hemorrhagic stroke when compared to Caucasian populations. Among patients with ischemic stroke, lacunar stroke accounts for almost half followed by atherosclerotic disease. Intravenous thrombolysis has been used in Thailand for over 20 years. Its cost is reimbursed by the national health care system but its use is still limited. With the introduction of the stroke fast track system and acute stroke unit, prompt stroke treatment across the country is ensured.
Intravenous thrombolysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator is now the standard treatment for patients with acute ischemic stroke and is recommended by the Thai Stroke Guidelines. The first patients ever treated with intravenous thrombolysis was in 1996 and later on, the stroke fast track program was developed, initiated, and implemented by and at King Chulalongkorn Memorial hospital.30,31 The stroke fast track program is a hospital system designed to allow medical triage personnel at the hospital to identify patients with stroke early on in order to take proactive measures for prompt investigation and management with the stroke team. Leading to a higher number of acute stroke patients receiving intravenous thrombolysis within the critical window of time, the stroke fast track system has proven successful. At present, the fast track system has been adopted by many other university hospitals as well as regional, provincial, and some community hospitals.For all Thai citizens, treatment costs can be reimbursed from the Universal Coverage Program provided by the National Health Security Office. According to the Ministry of Public Health, the proportion of patients receiving intravenous thrombolysis among those with acute ischemic stroke or acute stroke in Thailand has increased from 0.38% in 2008 to 1.95% in 2012. Although this figure is encouraging, one significant gap in acute stroke care is public education regarding stroke warning signs and act on stroke in Thailand.The Stroke Unit is a critical component towards the betterment of stroke care in the country.32 Current data show that there are more than 110 stroke units across Thailand, mostly in regional and provincial hospitals. However, according to the Thai Stroke Registry, only one-fourth of patients were admitted to a specialized acute stroke care unit. The proportion of stroke unit admission was higher in university hospitals (50%) compared to 17.1% and 3.4% in regional and community hospitals, respectively. In the acute period, most ischemic stroke patients received aspirin within 48 hours of admission (71%).As for secondary stroke prevention, antiplatelet was used in 80% of the cases. High rates of statin treatments were also noted. Seventy-three percent of patients received statin on discharge. After discharge, most Thai patients return home and are taken care of by family members. There are very few patients placed in nursing care facilities. This is due to cultural influences of Thai families where large extended families provide care for ailing family members.In conclusion, stroke is a major health burden in Thailand. It is the leading cause of death and long term disability. The incidence of stroke in Thailand is now being studied in a large cohort. The estimated prevalence of stroke is 1.88% among adults 45 years and older. Stroke is more prevalent in men and the mean age of stroke onset is 65 years. Hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, and atrial fibrillation are major risk factors of stroke in the Thai population. Significant economic and health transitions from predominantly rural to urbanized communities may be responsible for the increasing prevalence of these risk factors. Similar to other parts of the world, ischemic stroke accounts for the majority of strokes but there is a higher proportion of hemorrhagic stroke when compared to Caucasian populations. Among patients with ischemic stroke, lacunar stroke accounts for almost half followed by atherosclerotic disease. Intravenous thrombolysis has been used in Thailand for over 20 years. Its cost is reimbursed by the national health care system but its use is still limited. With the introduction of the stroke fast track system and acute stroke unit, prompt stroke treatment across the country is ensured.
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