Introduction to Stroke and the Stroke Care Unit

- Introduction

The term “stroke” has been used for centuries. In the 1970s, the World Health Organization defined stroke as “a neurological deficit caused by a disturbance in the cerebral circulation that persists for more than 24 hours or leads to death within 24 hours.” This definition uses a 24-hour time threshold to distinguish stroke from a transient ischemic attack (TIA), a stroke-related syndrome in which symptoms resolve within less than 24 hours. With the availability of treatments that can reduce stroke severity when administered early, alternative terms such as brain attack or acute ischemic cerebrovascular syndrome may also be used to emphasize the urgency of stroke symptoms and the need for rapid action.

Worldwide, approximately 15 million people experience a stroke each year. Five million die, and another five million are left permanently disabled, creating a substantial burden on families and communities. Overall, about two-thirds of strokes occur in people older than 65 years. Stroke is uncommon in people younger than 40 years; when it occurs in this age group, hypertension is a major cause. Stroke also occurs in approximately 8% of children with sickle cell disease (World Health Organization, 2024).