Stroke medicine

Stroke medicine involves the management of all forms of stroke and transient ischaemic attack (TIA) across the whole patient pathway (ie diagnosis, investigation, acute treatment, rehabilitation and re-integration, secondary prevention and long-term complications). Although stroke is still the most common cause of severe, acquired disability in adult life, new and emerging interventions can reduce the personal and societal impact of the condition.

In the majority of patients, the stroke or TIA will be a manifestation of atherosclerotic disease, and coexisting conditions such as ischaemic heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes and hyperlipidaemia are common. However, particularly in younger patients, there may be more unusual causes of stroke such as arterial dissection, migraine, thrombophilic and vasculitic disorders. Stroke medicine therefore encompasses elements of the neurosciences, cardiovascular disease, general and geriatric medicine and rehabilitation.

Stroke physicians have close links with colleagues in radiology, vascular surgery, and neurosurgery but a key feature, which has been shown to contribute to the best outcomes for patients and carers, is the multidisciplinary team working with specialist nursing and therapy staff.

Stroke medicine is an approved subspecialty of cardiology, clinical pharmacology and therapeutics, general internal medicine, geriatric medicine, neurology, and rehabilitation medicine.

Related RCP publications

• Consultant physicians working with patients, fourth edition (2008)
• Stroke transfer of care (ToC) (2008)
• Stroke: national clinical guideline for diagnosis and initial management of acute stroke and transient ischaemic attack (TIA) (2008)
• National clinical guidelines for stroke: third edition (2008)
• Care after stroke or transient ischaemic attack: information for patients and their carers (2008)
• Stroke in childhood: clinical guidelines for diagnosis, management and rehabilitation (2004)
• Measuring clinical outcome in stroke: acute care (2000)
• Stroke rehabilitation: patient and carer views (1998)

Map of Medicine

The RCP has been working with Map of Medicine since 2008 to produce web-based knowledge support tools. There are 300 evidence-based clinical care maps covering all major areas of healthcare; including care maps for specific specialties.

Specialty training

For information about specialty training in stroke medicine, go to the Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Postgraduate Training Board (JRCPTB) website.

Specialist society

• British Association of Stroke Physicians

2010 Consultant Census

The RCP has completed our census of working physicians in 2010. Attached below is a breakdown of the report with results for this specialty.

 Patient information

• The Stroke Association