AHA/ASA Guideline Guidelines for the Prevention of Stroke in ...

260 Stroke January 2011Stroke PROTECT (Preventing Recurrence Of ThromboembolicEvents through Coordinated Treatment) program examined8 medication/behavioral secondary prevention measuresduring hospitalization and found good but variable compliancewith guidelines at 90 days. There was no analysis of recurrencerates, quality of life, or healthcare costs in this population. 519 Ithas been proposed that linking financial reimbursement tocompliance might improve the quality of care for stroke survivors.A UK study examined the relationship between the Qualityand Outcomes Framework (QOF), which calculated “qualitypoints” for stroke using computer codes and reimbursed physiciansaccordingly. Higher-quality points did not correlate withbetter adherence to national guidelines, however, indicating thatadditional research is needed to determine how best to effect andmeasure these practices. 520Identifying and Responding to Populations atHighest RiskStudies highlight the need for special approaches forpopulations at high risk for recurrent stroke and TIA,either because of increased predisposition or reducedhealth literacy and awareness. Those at high risk have beenidentified as the aged, socioeconomically disadvantaged, and specificethnic groups. 521–523The elderly are at greater risk of stroke and at the highestrisk of complications from treatments such as oral anticoagulantsand carotid endarterectomy. 524,525 Despite theneed to consider different approaches in these vulnerablepopulations, some trials do not include a sufficient numberof subjects 80 years of age to fully evaluate the efficacy ofa therapy within this important and ever-growing subgroup.In SAPPHIRE, only 11% (85 of 776 CEA patients) were 80years of age, and comparison of high- and low-risk CEAsdemonstrated no difference in stroke rates. 526 By contrast,trials of medical therapies such as statins have includedrelatively large numbers of elderly patients with coronaryartery disease and support safety and event reduction in thesegroups, although further study in the elderly may still beneeded. 527–530The socioeconomically disadvantaged constitute that populationat high risk for stroke primarily because of limitedaccess to care. 531,532 As indicated in the report of the AmericanAcademy of Neurology Task Force on Access toHealthcare in 1996, access to medical care in general and forneurological conditions such as stroke remains limited. Theselimitations to access may be due to limited personal resourcessuch as lack of health insurance, geographic differences inavailable facilities or expertise, as is often the case in ruralareas, or arrival at a hospital after hours. Hospitalized strokepatients with little or no insurance receive fewer angiogramsand endarterectomies. 533–536Many rural institutions lack the resources for adequateemergency stroke treatment and the extensive communityand professional educational services that address strokeawareness and prevention compared with urban areas.Telemedicine is emerging as a tool to support improvedrural health care and the acute treatment and primary andsecondary prevention of stroke. 537 Stroke prevention effortsare of particular concern in those ethnic groupsidentified as being at the highest risk. 132 Although deathrates attributed to stroke have declined by 11% in theUnited States from 1990 through 1998, not all groups havebenefited equally, and substantial differences among ethnicgroups persist. 538 Even within minority ethnic populations,gender disparities remain, as evidenced by the factthat although the top 3 causes of death for black men areheart disease, cancer, and HIV infection/AIDS, strokereplaces HIV infection as the third leading cause in blackwomen. 539 black women are particularly vulnerable toobesity, with a prevalence rate of 50%, and their highermorbidity and mortality rates from heart disease, diabetes,and stroke have been attributed in part to increased bodymass index. In the Michigan Coverdell Registry, 540 AfricanAmericans were less likely to receive smoking cessationcounseling (OR, 0.27; CI, 0.17 to 0.42). The BASICProject noted the similarities in stroke risk factor profilesin Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic whites. 541 Therole of hypertension in blacks and its disproportionateimpact on stroke risk has been clearly identified, 542–544 yetstudies indicate that risk factors differ between differentethnic groups within the worldwide black population. 545For the aged, socioeconomically disadvantaged, and specificethnic groups, inadequate implementation of guidelinesand noncompliance with prevention recommendations arecritical problems. Expert panels have indicated the need for amultilevel approach to include the patient, provider, andorganization delivering health care. The evidence for thisapproach is well documented, but further research is sorelyneeded. 546 The NINDS Stroke Disparities Planning Panel,convened in June 2002, developed strategies and programgoals that include establishing data collection systems andexploring effective community impact programs and instrumentsin stroke prevention. 547 The panel encouraged projectsaimed at stroke surveillance projects in multiethnic communitiessuch as those in southern Texas, 541 northern Manhattan,544 Illinois, 548 and suburban Washington, 549 and strokeawareness programs targeted directly at minoritycommunities.Alliances with the federal government through the NINDS,Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nonprofit organizationssuch as the AHA/ASA, and medical specialtygroups such as the American Academy of Neurology and theBrain Attack Coalition are needed to coordinate, develop, andoptimize implementation of evidence-based stroke preventionrecommendations. 550Recommendations1. It can be beneficial to embed strategies for implementationwithin the process of guideline developmentand distribution to improve utilization of therecommendations (Class IIa; Level of Evidence B).(New recommendation)2. Intervention strategies can be useful to address economicand geographic barriers to achieving compliancewith guidelines and to emphasize the need forimproved access to care for the aged, underserved, andhigh-risk ethnic populations (Class IIa; Level of EvidenceB). (New recommendation; Table 10)Downloaded from stroke.ahajournals.org by on March 8, 2011