An opportunity to improve Acute Ischemic Stroke care in the South Asian region through telestroke services

Abstract

The South Asian region accounts for more than 40% of the stroke burden of the developing world and is the highest contributor to global stroke mortality. Despite proven treatment guidelines, the limited number of neurologists, the number of dedicated stroke centers and the fact that most of these facilities are urban-centric renders poor access to thrombolysis in this region, especially in the rural areas. Studies have shown that thrombolysis using telestroke services are comparable to face-to-face thrombolysis. Telestroke, conducted through low-cost media such as smartphones or laptops, may form a cost-effective solution to improve access to appropriate stroke care in a resource-limited setting such as that of the South Asian region.