Helping ischemic stroke patients to lower the rates of death and severe disability.

Stroke is the second leading cause of death in Thailand and a major cause of premature mortality, with most fatalities occurring in individuals under 70 years old. Globally, one in four people suffer from stroke, affecting over 12 million individuals (a new patient every 3 seconds) and leading to 6.5 million deaths.  In Thailand, data from the Ministry of Public Health's Health Data Center (HDC) in 2024 revealed a cumulative total of 358,062 stroke patients, with 39,086 deaths. Of these patients, 30% may die, another 30% suffer severe disabilities like immobility or facial paralysis, while the remaining 40% have a chance of full recovery or minor residual symptoms.

Recent data from 2025, published by the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, indicates that stroke remains a primary cause of death in Thailand, with an increasing number of new diagnoses each year. Statistics from 2024 show that approximately 7-8% of deaths in Thailand are due to stroke. While historically more prevalent in the elderly, there's a continuous rise in stroke cases among middle-aged individuals (30-50 years old). This trend is attributed to changes in lifestyle and risky behaviors such as high-fat diets, alcohol consumption, and smoking.  Key risk factors contributing to the increased incidence of stroke in Thailand include high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking, alcohol consumption, stress, and insufficient sleep.

Chulalongkorn Hospital's Comprehensive Stroke Center: A Pioneer in Care

The Chulalongkorn Stroke Center of Excellence, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society, has been instrumental in developing and providing care for ischemic stroke patients. This includes prevention, acute treatment, and long-term continuous care delivered by a multidisciplinary team.

In acute care, the Stroke Center pioneered the administration of intravenous thrombolytic drugs for acute ischemic stroke patients in Thailand in 1996. It also introduced the Stroke Fast Track system at Chulalongkorn Hospital in 1998, making it the first in Thailand. This system has since been widely adopted across Thailand and the region, becoming a standard treatment guideline for acute ischemic stroke patients.

Evidence clearly shows that early intervention significantly reduces mortality and disability rates, especially within the first 4.5 hours with intravenous thrombolytic therapy. The center also utilizes advanced radiological examinations, including CT angiography and CT perfusion, to assess the severity of cerebral ischemia and blood vessel obstruction in the acute phase, along with state-of-the-art magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Advanced Treatments and Continuous Care

Another acute ischemic stroke treatment available 24 hours a day is mechanical thrombectomy, which involves using a catheter-based device to remove blood clots from brain arteries. This specialized treatment can care for severely affected patients who arrive within 24 hours of symptom onset, significantly helping a large number of patients.

Beyond treating direct admissions, the Stroke Center also provides consultations and accepts referrals from other network hospitals, ensuring patients receive timely treatment within the critical window, including transfers for mechanical thrombectomy procedures.

All acute ischemic stroke patients admitted to Chulalongkorn Hospital receive care in the Stroke Unit, a globally recognized standard of treatment. Furthermore, a Stroke ICU has been developed to accommodate critically ill acute ischemic stroke patients. Both units are staffed by highly skilled multidisciplinary personnel, equipped with comprehensive care facilities, and utilize modern technology. This includes a Stroke Robot, allowing specialists to communicate with ward doctors and patients around the clock, both during and outside of official working hours.  Even after discharge, patients receive long-term continuous care for physical and mental rehabilitation, treatment to prevent recurrence, and ongoing consultation for caregivers.