Delayed Arrival of Stroke patients to the Hospital

Abstract

Background: Although recent advances have been made in the treatment of acute stroke, patients often arrive at the hospital too late to receive the maximum benefit from these new therapies. Objective: To investigate factors that influence the time from symptom onset to hospital arrival (delay time) for patients with stroke. .
Methods: Prospective observational study by recording the patient's characteristics, final diagnosis, and admission delay for all suspected acute stroke admitted patients within 3 days of onset.
Results: 246 stroke patients were studied at Al-Dewania teaching hospital, the median age of the patients was 63 years, 125 were male. The median delay time was 11.6 hours, 6.1% of patients arrived within 3 hours, 18.3% were arrived within 6 hours., Middle age ,male , first stroke ,mild neurological deficit, living in rural areas ,abscess of ambulance transport and low medical public knowledge of stroke significantly delay time of presentation to the hospital.
Conclusion: Increase public awareness of stroke symptoms and the need to seek early medical attention with direct transport to the hospital better by ambulance will be required for effective treatment of acute stroke.