Providing world-class stroke care in Australia
Cerebrovascular disease is the third leading cause of disease burden in developed nations, and is predicted to be the fourth ranked disease burden worldwide by 2030 after unipolar depressive disorders, ischaemic heart disease and trauma.1 All of these conditions are characterised by sudden and unpredictable demands requiring an immediately accessible, systemised and multidisciplinary approach to care. The complexities of acute ischaemic stroke in Australia have been addressed by detailed clinical guidelines.2 An emergency care bundle for stroke and transient ischaemic attack has recently been offered by the National Institute of Clinical Studies of the National Health and Medical Research Council.3
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Richard Gerraty is a member of the Victorian Government’s Department of Health Victorian Stroke Clinical Network and is Victorian Chairman of the Australasian Stroke Unit Network.