Stroke patients should start rehab as soon as possible
Stroke patients should begin their road to recovery as soon as they are medically stable, according to a new guideline from the American Stroke Association (ASA) and American Heart Association (AHA). In fact, starting within the first 48 hours is recommended to maximize the patient’s chance of a full recovery.
The new document, published in full in Stroke, highlights the importance of giving each patient a rehabilitation plan personalized to meet their own needs.[1] It is also critical that delays are kept to a minimum, and that specialists should start addressing physical, cognitive, communication and emotional concerns as quickly as possible.
“Each person faces a different set of challenges,” Lorie Gage Richards, PhD, an associate professor at the University of Utah and chair of the volunteer writing group behind this new guideline, said in a statement. “Recovery doesn’t look the same for everyone, and care should be personalized to fit each person’s needs. The goal is to help individuals gain as much independence as possible to perform everyday activities while improving their overall quality of life.”
Sara Kutzle, who survived a stroke in 2021 at the age of 39 years old, helped craft the new guideline. She shared her perspective with the writing group, noting that it took a lot of hard work to feel like herself again.
“At first, I was focused on getting my body to recover, but I quickly realized healing involved so much more than that,” she said in the same statement. “My confidence, my mental health, my relationships and my sense of independence were all affected. Recovery wasn't just about learning how to do things again. It was about accepting the new version of myself and continuing to move forward.”
The new document covers both physical rehabilitation and mental rehabilitation. Post-stroke depression is common, for example, but it is also treatable if identified by the patient’s care team. Another key takeaway is the fact that caregivers should be included in the planning process. Getting caregivers involved from the beginning, and acknowledging that they may also experience stress and depression as a part of the recovery process, helps keep everyone on the same page and maximizes the chances of a full recovery.
The guideline also points to the fact that recovery is going to take different amounts of time for each patient. And while some patients may fully recover, others may experience functional limitations that continue for the rest of their lives.
“Recovery after a stroke is about more than getting stronger physically and regaining abilities,” Richards said. “It’s an ongoing process that includes coping with emotional changes after a major health event, adjusting to new challenges and moving forward with a renewed sense of purpose and resilience.”
Click here to read the full document.
Michael has more than 19 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.