Organization of stroke care: education, stroke units and rehabilitation. European Stroke Initiative (EUSI).

Acute stroke is increasingly recognised as one of the leading factors of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Its economical burden is among the highest of all diseases. Ischaemic stroke is by far the most frequent subtype of acute stroke. More than 80% of all stroke patients suffer from focal ischaemia [Bonita, 1992]. Over the past decades, acute stroke has increasingly been recognised as a medical emergency. Acute, post-acute and rehabilitation care of stroke patients in specialised wards as well as revascularising therapies have been proven to be effective in acute ischaemic stroke. There have been several publications of guidelines or consensus papers over the past years [Asplund et al., 1993; Brainin et al., 1997; Aboderin et al., 1996; Adams et al., 1994; The European Ad Hoc Consensus Group, 1996; 1997; Billier et al., 1998; Einhäupl et al., 1999; Feinberg et al., 1994; Gorelick et al., 1999; Report on Pan European Consensus Meeting on Stroke Management, 1995; WHO Task Force on Stroke and other Cerebrovascular Disorders, 1989]. This series of recommendations is proposed by the European Stroke Initiative, the common body of three major European neurological or stroke-related societies, the European Neurological Society ENS, the European Federation of Neurological Society EFNS and the European Stroke Council, which also represents the European Stroke Conference. In these recommendations, the authors provide both an overview of established or widely used therapeutic strategies as well as an evaluation of involving, but not yet proven strategies. Table 1 gives the definitions for levels of evidence used in these recommendations.