Stroke; a journal of cerebral circulation
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Multicenter Study
Factors associated with prehospital delays in the presentation of acute stroke in urban China.
Low rates of thrombolysis for ischemic stroke in China have mainly been attributed to delays in presentation to the hospital. This study aimed to evaluate factors associated with these delays. ⋯ Health promotion strategies to improve community awareness of early symptoms of stroke, establishment of an alert system to cater for patients likely to experience stroke at home, and wider availability and use of ambulance services are promising methods to help expedite presentation to hospital poststroke and thereby improve the management of stroke in China.