World Stroke Organization and Medtronic Announce Global Partnership to Enhance Stroke Awareness and Care

Recently, the World Stroke Organization (WSO) announced a global partnership with Medtronic, aiming to enhance stroke awareness through a series of initiatives. Both parties will collaborate to strengthen stroke education, raise awareness of stroke prevention and treatment, and provide support for the effective management of stroke patients.

At the 2nd Annual Academic Conference of the Chinese Stroke Association and the Tiantan International Stroke Conference held in Beijing in 2016, the World Stroke Organization (WSO) and Medtronic announced a strategic partnership. The core components of this collaboration include enhancing public awareness of stroke through the “Stroke Is Treatable” campaign for World Stroke Day; implementing the WSO’s latest Global Stroke Services Guidelines: A Roadmap to Quality Stroke Care; and supporting the global clinical education programs and related curricula of the World Stroke Academy.

Professor Stephen Davis, President of the World Stroke Organization, stated that both parties share a common vision in two major areas of stroke research. One is stent retriever thrombectomy, a highly effective medical technique for treating stroke; the other is the detection of atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is one of the common causes of stroke and a challenge faced globally in the field of stroke care, and Medtronic offers advanced detection devices in this area. Through their collaboration, both parties aim to make these advanced medical technologies accessible to more patients.

Stroke Prevention and Treatment Technologies Continue to Advance

Data show that globally, approximately 15 million people suffer a stroke each year, with nearly 5 million deaths and around 5 million cases resulting in lifelong disability. Fortunately, the outlook for stroke prevention and treatment has improved significantly compared to five years ago. Stent retriever thrombectomy has greatly advanced stroke treatment, while implantable cardiac event monitors help physicians detect atrial fibrillation in patients with cryptogenic stroke, thereby enabling timely intervention and reducing the risk of stroke recurrence.

“Early detection of stroke warning signs, prompt transfer of patients to specialized stroke centers for emergency treatment, and the provision of optimal professional care can significantly improve therapeutic outcomes,” said Professor Stephen Davis. “We call on everyone to take action, enhance stroke awareness, and promote greater accessibility to better stroke treatments. We are also delighted that Medtronic has joined us in our collective effort to combat stroke.”

Xu Lixia, Senior Director of the Neurointerventional Business Unit at Medtronic Greater China, stated that previous stroke treatment guidelines only included recommendations for thrombolytic therapy, whereas the new guidelines have incorporated stent retriever thrombectomy. This change will make physicians more willing to adopt this treatment approach.

The new stroke guidelines are based on expert analysis of the results from five global clinical trials published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), which demonstrated that using stent retriever thrombectomy to remove cerebral clots yields better therapeutic outcomes than pharmacological therapy alone. All five global trials investigated Medtronic’s Solitaire thrombectomy stent, and the results indicated that the introduction of stent retriever thrombectomy reduced disability, improved neurological outcomes, and increased the rate of functional recovery in stroke patients.

The World Stroke Organization will provide customized on-site educational programs for countries worldwide.

The World Stroke Organization will provide customized clinical education curricula tailored to the needs of individual countries. This year’s program theme focuses on strengthening stroke prevention, treatment strategies, and rehabilitation care through evidence-based approaches, with particular emphasis on improving stroke medical services in Beijing, the Philippines, and Hyderabad, India. Additionally, the World Stroke Academy will offer online coursework on stroke-related topics to all member countries.

“Medtronic is committed to the prevention and treatment of stroke worldwide, and ensuring appropriate clinical education initiatives is a critical step in this effort,” said Stacey Pugh, Vice President and General Manager of Medtronic’s Neurovascular Intervention business. “The World Stroke Organization leverages multiple channels to deliver comprehensive educational programs to a broad audience of stroke care professionals. Together, we are bringing these tailored curricula to countries and regions striving to enhance their stroke care services.”

In 2016, World Stroke Campaign will focus on the theme “Stroke is Treatable.” Although stroke is a relatively complex condition, there are many ways to significantly reduce its impact. Furthermore, awareness of the signs and symptoms of stroke is crucial and constitutes a key component of this collaborative effort.

About the World Stroke Organization

The World Stroke Organization (world-stroke.org), established in 2006, is the global leader in combating stroke. It is dedicated to alleviating the burden on stroke patients through prevention, treatment, and long-term care. Supported by individual and organizational members worldwide, including stroke support groups, the World Stroke Organization enjoys a strong reputation in the field of stroke prevention and control globally and is the only international non-profit stroke organization with official relations with the World Health Organization.