World Stroke Day was declared at the Joint World Congress in Cape Town on Thursday, October 26th. This was a significant health sentinel because stroke is a world-wide concern.

Importantly, the Ontario Stroke System, funded by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care of Ontario, is considered a world-leader in the provision of stroke prevention and care. Research in the past ten years has resulted in a total paradigm shift in stroke care: We now know that stroke is treatable, and stroke is preventable.

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) was designated as a Stroke Centre in April, 2002. Dr. David Howse was recruited as the first full-time Neurologist for Northwestern Ontario and he became the Medical Director of the Northwestern Ontario Regional Stroke Network. Since that time, significant advances in care have been made locally. Residents are now able to access TPA, the clot-busting drug when the criteria are met. With the Stroke Unit located on Medical Unit 2A, stroke patients from the region as well as Thunder Bay are admitted where care, established on “best practices” is provided by the Stroke Team. This includes, but is not limited to, access to diagnostics (CT Scan/MRI), consultation by a Neurologist, and a plan of care developed by healthcare providers with stroke expertise.

Dr. Howse states that, “even though stroke is preventable, the Ongoing Measurement and Monitoring of the Ontario Stroke System reveals that TBRHSC Stroke Unit usage is one of the highest in the province. There are predictable reasons for this. We know that Thunder Bay District’s stroke mortality is 20 – 25% higher than the province. We also know that Northwestern Ontario has a higher proportion/percentage of residents who smoke daily, consume alcohol, and are overweight/obese, and are part of a demographic group over the age of 65 – all risk factors for stroke”.

“To address this”, he continues, “Community Stroke Prevention Clinics have been established in Marathon, Kenora, Fort Frances and Sioux Lookout. These clinics liaise with the Stroke Prevention Clinic located at TBRHSC. By implementing optimal stroke prevention services throughout the region using a coordinated and an effective prevention strategy, there is the potential to significantly reduce the incidence of stroke and/or recurrence of stroke by 50%”.

The residents of Northwestern Ontario are benefiting from being an integral part of the Ontario Stroke System. These are exciting times as our stroke care now crosses the continuum from prevention, acute care, rehabilitation, and community reintegration throughout Northwestern Ontario. Our latest research is translated into improved practice at the bedside.

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