How COVID-19 Affected Pre-Hospital Stroke Care in Madrid

What is it about?

The article discusses a study that was conducted in Madrid, Spain, to see how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the pre-hospital emergency protocol for people who have a stroke. They found that during the first wave of the pandemic, there was a delay in the time it took for the emergency medical service to arrive and take patients to the hospital. However, the accuracy of diagnosing stroke and the number of patients who received proper treatment remained the same as the previous year. The study showed that the stroke network and emergency medical service were able to adapt to the pandemic, but there was still room for improvement.

Featured Image

Photo by Khyta on Unsplash

Photo by Khyta on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This study is important because it highlights the potential impact of a health crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, on the delivery of emergency medical care for patients with acute stroke. By comparing the pre-hospital stroke care during the pandemic with the same period in the previous year, the study provides insight into how the pandemic affected the stroke network and emergency medical service. The study's findings suggest that although there were delays in the emergency medical service response time, the stroke network and emergency medical service were able to maintain the accuracy of stroke diagnosis and the proportion of patients receiving proper treatment, which could guide future responses to health crises.

Perspectives