With over 2 million new cases annually,
stroke is associated with the highest disability-adjusted life-years lost of any disease in China. The burden is expected to increase further as a result of population ageing, an ongoing high prevalence of risk factors (eg,
hypertension), and inadequate management. Despite improved access to overall health services, the availability of specialist
stroke care is variable across the country, and especially uneven in rural areas. In-hospital outcomes have improved because of a greater availability of reperfusion
therapies and supportive care, but adherence to
secondary prevention strategies and
long-term care are inadequate. Thrombolysis and
stroke units are accepted as standards of care across the world, including in China, but
bleeding-risk concerns and organisational challenges hamper widespread adoption of this care in China. Despite little supporting evidence, Chinese herbal products and
neuroprotective drugs are widely used, and the increased availability of neuroimaging techniques also results in overdiagnosis and overtreatment of so-called silent
stroke. Future efforts should focus on providing more balanced availability of specialised
stroke services across the country, enhancing evidence-based practice, and encouraging greater translational research to improve outcome of patients with
stroke.