Frequency and Care of Stroke in Germany

Background Epidemiological data on frequency and treatment of stroke in routine clinical care provide the basis for assessing population needs and identifying potential for improvements. The paper provides an up-to-date overview on stroke frequency and management of patients in Germany. Results Based on epidemiological studies about 196,000 first-ever and 66,000 recurrent strokes occur in Germany each year (2008). Stroke is the third main cause of death with about 63,000 documented deaths in the routine statistics of 2008. Currently about 180,000 patients from over 600 hospitals are documented within the regional audits of the ADSR per year (2008); quality of acute stroke care is compared between participating hospitals using standardised quality indicators. Intravenous thrombolytic treatment is administered in 7-10% of ischaemic stroke patients documented within the ADSR registers (2008). In Germany about 160 Stroke Units are certified according to criteria of German Stroke Society and German Stroke Foundation (May 2010). The total number of beds within certified SU is about 950 (mean 5.7; range 4 to 14). It is estimated that between 45 and 50% of eligible stroke patients receive SU care. Currently data are limited on quality of care after discharge although available information on post-acute stroke care is increasing. Conclusions In Germany data on stroke frequency and quality of acute care are collected at a high level. However, limited information is available on time trends in incidence and risk in specific subgroups of the population. More data are needed on treatment and management after discharge from acute care hospitals.