title: Stroke care in Central Eastern Europe: current problems and call for action.
abstract: Stroke is a major medical problem and one of the leading causes of mortality and disability all over in Europe. However, there are significant East-West differences in stroke care as well as in stroke mortality and morbidity rates. Central and Eastern European countries that formerly had centralized and socialist health care systems have serious and similar problems in organizing health and stroke care 20 years after the political transition. In Central and Eastern Europe, stroke is more frequent, the mortality rate is higher, and the victims are younger than in Western Europe. High-risk patients live in worse environmental conditions, and the socioeconomic consequences of stroke further weaken the economic development of these countries. To address these issues, a round table conference was organized. The main aim of this conference was to discuss problems to be solved related to acute and chronic stroke care in Central and Eastern European countries, and also, to exchange ideas on possible solutions. In this article, the discussed problems and possible solutions will be summarized, and introduce 'The Budapest Statement of Stroke Experts of Central and Eastern European countries'.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lenti
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brainin
authors.forename: Ekaterina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Titianova
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morovic
authors.forename: Vida
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Demarin
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kalvach
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Skoloudik
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Czlonkowska
authors.forename: Dafin F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Muresanu
authors.forename: Ksenia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shekhovtsova
authors.forename: Veronica I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Skvortsova
authors.forename: Nadezda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sternic
authors.forename: Ljiljana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Beslac Bumbasirevic
authors.forename: Viktor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Svigelj
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Turcani
authors.forename: Dániel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bereczki
authors.forename: László
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Csiba
mesh_terms: D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D005061:Europe, Eastern / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*