Implementation of a Structured Guideline–Based Program for the Secondary Prevention of Ischemic Stroke in China
Guidelines Tuesday, February 18th, 2014STROKEAHA: January 2, 2014
Background and Purpose—High rates of ischemic stroke and poor adherence to secondary prevention measures are observed in the Chinese population.
Methods—We used a national, multicenter, cluster-randomized controlled trial in which 47 hospitals were randomized to either a structured care program group (n=23) or a usual care group (n=24). The structured care program consisted of a specialist-administered, guideline-recommended pharmaceutical treatment and a lifestyle modification algorithm associated with written and Internet-accessed educational material for patients for the secondary prevention of ischemic stroke. The primary efficacy outcome was the proportion of patients who adhered to the recommended measures at 12-month postdischarge. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrial.gov (NCT00664846). Read More