Stroke Pentagon: Stroke Management Approach in Resource Poor Settings

Abstract

Stroke is a neurological condition that is characterized by sudden onset focal neurological deficit due to spontaneous cerebral vascular occlusion or rupture. It is a neurological emergency and its prevalence is very high, especially in developing countries where it assumes an epidemic proportion. It is globally the second most common cause of death after ischaemic heart disease. The poor indices in developing countries are multifactorial and related to late case presentation, ignorance, poverty, and unavailability of comprehensive and well-coordinated stroke care. There is a need to identify the available and cheap stroke management steps in the developing countries and strengthen the system to maximize the benefits in reduction of the morbidity and mortality of stroke. It is against this background that we identified Stroke prevention, acute stroke management, Stroke rehabilitation, Stroke research, and Stroke support as five pillars (stroke pentagon) in stroke management in developing countries. There is a need to sensitize the stakeholders in stroke management as highlighted in the stroke pentagon to assume more responsibility. Moreover, there is the need to have a more coordinated and concerted stroke management approach which will involve all the identified five pillars to ensure improved stroke indices in the developing countries.