Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Email: mirjam. We analyzed patients Three-months follow-up medication intake rates were the same for antihypertensives. Smoking rates decreased in all groups during follow-up. Substantial differences in presentation, treatment and secondary prevention measures, are linked to a twofold difference in adjusted 3-months excellent outcome between Switzerland and Ukraine.
This underscores the importance of socioeconomic factors that influence stroke outcomes, emphasizing the necessity for targeted interventions to address disparities in treatment and secondary prevention strategies. Stroke is the third-leading cause of death and disability combined in measured in disability-adjusted life years DALYs , 1 posing a significant global challenge. Differences in stroke burden across Europe are notable, with Eastern European countries facing higher stroke rates and related deaths, 2 , 4 attributed to socioeconomic factors influencing vascular risk factors and healthcare access and quality.
The European Stroke Action Plan — 13 aims to address these challenges, necessitating a deeper understanding of care variability across European countries with different history, socioeconomic status and vascular risk.
Switzerland, Poland and Ukraine exemplify this diversity, differing significantly in terms of GDP per capita, unemployment rates, and insurance coverage. Switzerland, on the one hand, is a representative of a highly developed Western European country. On the other hand, Poland and Ukraine are countries in Eastern Europe with less developed economic resources. It is worth noting that Poland has been a member of the EU since , which distinguishes it from Ukraine, a nation facing greater economic challenges and geopolitical complexity.
Both countries were classified as high vascular risk countries. This study aims to elucidate baseline characteristics, secondary prevention and outcome after first acute ischemic stroke in different socioeconomic environments, that is, Switzerland, Poland, and Ukraine, providing insights into European stroke care. We conducted an observational multicenter cohort study of patients who experienced their first acute ischemic stroke between July and December and received treatment at three tertiary care centers.
