Pérez NJ, Scherle MC, Roselló SH, Fernández CL

Language: Spanish
References: 14
Page: 3-6
PDF size: 63.75 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To study the changes of stroke management in a tertiary center of Havana, after the introduction of a Stroke Unit with multidisciplinary team approach.
Methods: We compare stroke patients assisted in Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital in two separate periods characterized by different strategies of care. In the first period (2002–2003) stroke care was not specialized and multidisciplinary team does not exist, while in the second period (2006–2007), stroke care was organized, centralized in a Stroke Unit and headed by a specialized multidisciplinary team. Information collected from hospital records included date of birth and sex of patient, admission and discharge dates, discharge status, length of hospital stay, and diagnosis.
Results: In the period 2002–2003, 656 stroke patients were admitted to the hospital and 598 in the period 2006–2007. In the second period there was an increment of patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (110 to 156 patients), but a decrement of patients with cerebral hemorrhage (114 to 66 patients), and stroke of undetermined cause (91 to 13 patients). Specialized stroke care reduce hospital mortality (17.4 % to 11.0 %), the major impact was in ischemic stroke. The total duration of the hospital stay was inferior in patients managed in Stroke Unit with multidisciplinary stroke team (13.9 days), in contrast with those managed with a non–specialized approach (15.7 days), but the difference was not significant.
Conclusions: Specialized stroke care increased tertiary functions of the hospital. In the new context, hospital mortality and hospital stay decreased.

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