Stroke Units in Vietnam. The Evidence Base and Key Components

Treating patients on a stroke unit is the intervention that will save more lives and avoid more disability than any other acute stroke treatment currently available. Even the Number Needed to Treat (NNT) is less for stroke than, for example, endovascular thrombectomy, stroke unit care is applicable for virtually all stroke patients arriving in hospital. The effective elements of a stroke unit are a well-trained multidisciplinary team of clinicians working effectively together and with the patient and their carers. Developing and implementing simple protocols for treatment and prevention of complications is important. It can be low cost and is worthwhile developing even when many of the other features of a comprehensive stroke service such as easy access to brain imaging, intravenous thrombolysis, and endovascular thrombectomy are impossible.