Asia Pacific Consensus Forum on Stroke Management

Abstract

Background and purpose: Because of the enormity of the burden of stroke globally, there is a real need to develop strategies to reduce its impact. With this in mind, the World Health Organization (Division of Mental Health and Prevention of Substance Abuse) together with the National Stroke Foundation (Australia) sponsored the Asia Pacific Consensus Forum on Stroke Management in Melbourne, Australia, in October 1997. Representatives from the European Stroke Council, American Heart Association, Canadian Heart Association, Stroke Society of Australasia, and South-East Asian Stroke Association were involved, together with other delegates from Southeast Asia, Asia, North America, Europe, the Middle East, South Africa, and the subcontinent. Contributions from delegates allowed a broad set of principles to be put in place concerning stroke management that may be generalizable globally and with specific emphasis on the Asia Pacific region.

Summary of report: The Melbourne Declaration on Stroke Management of October 29, 1997, consisted of 9 key points made in the areas of primary prevention, acute stroke, secondary prevention, organization of stroke services, economic aspects, issues relating to developing countries, remote and rural areas, evaluation of quality of care, rehabilitation, and public health/education issues.

Conclusions: The consensus statement embodied in the Melbourne Declaration provides a framework for countries to establish minimum standards of stroke care and thus make a contribution toward reducing the global burden of stroke.