Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2009 Feb;27(2):141-5.
doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2008.02.004.

Emergency medical services use by stroke patients: a population-based study

Opeolu Adeoye  1 , Christopher Lindsell, Joseph Broderick, Kathy Alwell, Edward Jauch, Charles J Moomaw, Matthew L Flaherty, Arthur Pancioli, Brett Kissela, Dawn Kleindorfer
Affiliations

Emergency medical services use by stroke patients: a population-based study

Opeolu Adeoye et al. Am J Emerg Med. 2009 Feb.

Abstract

Objectives: Emergency medical services (EMS) use by stroke patients varies from 38% to 65%. In an epidemiological study, we determined the proportion of stroke patients who used EMS, hypothesizing that demographics, stroke severity, stroke type, and location at stroke onset would be associated with EMS use.

Methods: Stroke and transient ischemic attack patients were identified in a population of 1.3 million in the Cincinnati area in 1999. Patient charts and EMS records were abstracted by research nurses and reviewed by study physicians. The proportion of EMS users was computed. Logistic regression was used to test for associations with EMS use.

Results: Of 3949 strokes, we excluded strokes/transient ischemic attacks that occurred in the hospital (n = 283), out of town (n = 10), during EMS transport (n = 2), and at unknown locations (n = 73). Patients with unknown EMS use (n = 301); those with missing estimated stroke severity (n = 174), prestroke disability (n = 78), race (n = 3), and stroke type (n = 3); and those younger than 18 years (n = 14) were also excluded. The remaining 3008 patients had a mean age of 74 years, 17% were black, and 45% were men. Emergency medical services was used by 1532 (50.9%) patients. Age, prestroke disability, stroke severity, hemorrhagic stroke, and stroke at work were associated with EMS use. Race, sex, and prior stroke were not associated with EMS use.

Conclusion: Half of stroke patients used EMS in our population-based study. Older patients; those with greater prestroke disability, more severe stroke, and hemorrhagic stroke; and those having stroke at work were more likely to use EMS.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke rt-PA Stroke Study Group. Tissue plasminogen activator for acute ischemic stroke. N Engl J Med. 1995;333:1581–1587. - PubMed
    1. Kleindorfer D, Kissela B, Schneider A, et al. Eligibility for recombinant tissue plasminogen activator in acute ischemic stroke: a population-based study. Stroke. 2004;35:e27–29. - PubMed
    1. Barber PA, Zhang J, Demchuk AM, et al. Why are stroke patients excluded from TPA therapy? An analysis of patient eligibility. Neurology. 2001;56:1015–1020. - PubMed
    1. Moser DK, Kimble LP, Alberts MJ, et al. Reducing delay in seeking treatment by patients with acute coronary syndrome and stroke: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association Council on cardiovascular nursing and stroke council. Circulation. 2006;114:168–182. - PubMed
    1. Lacy CR, Suh DC, Bueno M, et al. Delay in presentation and evaluation for acute stroke. Stroke time registry for outcomes knowledge and epidemiology (S.T.R.O.K.E) Stroke. 2001;32:63–69. - PubMed

Publication types