A unique and pioneering structure for the National Health System is being established at the University Hospital of Larissa. This is not just another new clinic, but a coordinated multidisciplinary unit for the timely and modern management of acute vascular stroke events. The Larissa hospital has been found to have all the necessary resources for specialization in the field of strokes. In every advanced country, there is such a center, but it took decades to establish one in Greece.

Regarding the new unit, which will handle a common and extremely life-threatening complication related to stroke cases, Athanasios Giannoukas, Professor of Vascular Surgery at the Medical School of the University of Thessaly, speaks to ERT3: “The time to treatment is critical for the patient’s life. Immediate intervention within the first six, or ideally four, hours is decisive. The collaboration of the new unit with a hospital in the 5th health district for the diagnosis, care, and hospitalization of patients with acute vascular stroke will save lives, increase survival, and reduce disability and the degree of impairment. We save lives, and what matters is to provide a quality life.” Patients admitted to Acute Vascular Stroke Centers remain in the hospital for a shorter period and have higher functional capacity compared to those in general wards. In conclusion, the operation of such centers significantly reduces the economic burden on the National Health System while improving its quality and effectiveness. The structure will serve as a pilot program for the development of additional centers across the country, providing significant benefit to patients.

A single MRI scan can detect previous strokes that may have gone unnoticed by the patient but indicate a poor history and risk of recurrence in the future. According to Prof. Giannoukas, measuring blood pressure, quitting smoking, and carotid screening with ultrasound are preventive measures to avoid a second, potentially fatal, stroke.