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Stroke

According to the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada, remarkable progress has been made tackling cardiovascular disease in Canada over the past 60 years, with death rates declining by more than 75 percent. Research advances have played a key role in fighting acute ischaemic stroke. Our resources provide evidence-based information about stroke symptoms, treatment and recovery.

Stroke centre or local hospital? In an emergency just call 911!
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Recovering from a brain injury? Video games can help!
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Aphasia after stroke: Regaining communication skills with speech-language therapy
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72 Show All 13Blog Posts 38Evidence Summaries 21Web Resource Ratings 3Patient Decision Aids

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  • Evidence Summary

    Interventions for preventing falls in people after stroke

    Rating 5 out of 5 stars
    Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2013)
  • Evidence Summary

    Speech and language therapy for aphasia following stroke

    Rating 5 out of 5 stars
    Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2012)
  • Evidence Summary

    Telerehabilitation approaches are equally as effective as conventional rehabilitation for stroke patients

    Rating 5 out of 5 stars
    Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases (2015)
  • Evidence Summary

    Walking training helps to improve walking ability and possibly self-care after stroke

    Rating 5 out of 5 stars
    Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine (2014)
  • Evidence Summary

    Occupational therapy for cognitive impairment in stroke patients.

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    Cochrane Database Syst Rev (2022)
  • Evidence Summary

    In people who have had a stroke, virtual reality interventions improve overall arm function and activities of daily living

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    Clin Rehabil (2021)
  • Evidence Summary

    Mental practice for treating upper extremity deficits in individuals with hemiparesis after stroke.

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    Cochrane Database Syst Rev (2020)
  • Evidence Summary

    Swallowing therapy for dysphagia in acute and subacute stroke.

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    Cochrane Database Syst Rev (2018)
  • Evidence Summary

    Blood pressure-lowering treatment for preventing recurrent stroke, major vascular events, and dementia in patients with a history of stroke or transient ischaemic attack.

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    Cochrane Database Syst Rev (2018)
  • Evidence Summary

    Mirror therapy for improving motor function after stroke.

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    Cochrane Database Syst Rev (2018)
  • Evidence Summary

    After an ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack, lifestyle interventions reduce systolic blood pressure but do not improve other outcomes

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    Stroke (2017)
  • Evidence Summary

    Caregiver-mediated exercises for improving outcomes after stroke.

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    Cochrane Database Syst Rev (2016)
  • Evidence Summary

    Population-level interventions in government jurisdictions for dietary sodium reduction (Review)

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2016)
  • Evidence Summary

    Self management programmes for quality of life in people with stroke.

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    Cochrane Database Syst Rev (2016)
  • Evidence Summary

    Cognitive rehabilitation for memory deficits after stroke.

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    Cochrane Database Syst Rev (2016)
  • Evidence Summary

    In adults with brain injuries, video game–based treatment improves functioning more than usual treatment

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    Clin Rehabil (2016)
  • Evidence Summary

    In people having a stroke, a new surgical procedure done right away reduces disability

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    JAMA (2015)
  • Evidence Summary

    Speech and language therapy for aphasia following stroke.

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    Cochrane Database Syst Rev (2016)
  • Evidence Summary

    Physical fitness training for stroke patients.

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    Cochrane Database Syst Rev (2016)
  • Evidence Summary

    Mobile health interventions can improve medication adherence and physical activity in patients with cardiovascular disease

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    European Journal of Preventative Cardiology (2015)
  • Evidence Summary

    Within a few hours of a stroke, adding endovascular therapy to clot-busting drugs improves people’s ability to manage on their own at 3 months

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    Eur Heart J (2015)
  • Evidence Summary

    In people who have had a lacunar stroke, single antiplatelet therapy prevents stroke compared with placebo

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    Stroke (2015)
  • Evidence Summary

    Direct admission to specialist stroke centres has no clear benefit over initial treatment at a local hospital

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    Journal of Health Services Research & Policy (2015)
  • Evidence Summary

    Nurse-led clinics can lower the risk of death and myocardial infarction, and increase medication adherence in patients with cardiovascular diseases

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing (2015)
  • Evidence Summary

    Aspirin reduces risk of death, heart disease or cancer, with some increase in the risk of stroke or major bleeding

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    Health Technol Assess (2013)
  • Evidence Summary

    In people with 2 to 4 diabetes risk factors, high-dose atorvastatin reduced cardiovascular risk but increased new-onset diabetes compared with low-dose statins

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    J Am Coll Cardiol (2013)
  • Evidence Summary

    NSAIDS, except naproxen, increase major coronary events; all NSAIDs increase heart failure and upper gastrointestinal complications

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    Lancet (2013)
  • Evidence Summary

    (a) In patients with atrial fibrillation, 2 tools are best for predicting risk for stroke; a third tool is best for predicting risk for bleeding

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Reviews (2013)
  • Evidence Summary

    In people with coronary artery disease, intensive blood pressure control is linked to reduced stroke and heart failure but increased risk for too low blood pressure

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    Heart (2013)
  • Evidence Summary

    Statins reduce mortality, cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, and stroke in people with no history of cardiovascular disease

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    Cochrane Database Syst Rev (2013)
  • Evidence Summary

    In people with chronic kidney disease, antiplatelet drugs reduce heart attacks but increase bleeding

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    Cochrane Database Syst Rev (2013)
  • Evidence Summary

    For people with atrial fibrillation, new “blood thinners” (factor Xa inhibitors) reduce strokes and clots more than warfarin

    Rating 4 out of 5 stars
    Cochrane Database Syst Rev (2013)
  • Evidence Summary

    Physical rehabilitation approaches for the recovery of function and mobility following stroke.

    Rating 3 out of 5 stars
    Cochrane Database Syst Rev (2025)
  • Evidence Summary

    Interventions for sexual dysfunction following stroke.

    Rating 3 out of 5 stars
    Cochrane Database Syst Rev (2020)
  • Evidence Summary

    Circuit class therapy for improving mobility after stroke.

    Rating 3 out of 5 stars
    Cochrane Database Syst Rev (2017)
  • Evidence Summary

    Music interventions for acquired brain injury.

    Rating 3 out of 5 stars
    Cochrane Database Syst Rev (2017)
  • Evidence Summary

    Self-management support interventions improve patient quality of life and reduce use of hospital care for patients with long-term respiratory and cardiovascular conditions

    Rating 3 out of 5 stars
    Health Services and Delivery Research (2014)
  • Evidence Summary

    Interventions done with caregivers of stroke survivors improve some caregiver and patient outcomes

    Rating 3 out of 5 stars
    Stroke (2014)
  • Blog Post

    Regaining movement and independence following a stroke: Is physical rehabilitation effective?

    Research shows that physical rehabilitation may hold benefits for stroke survivors.
  • Blog Post

    4 evidence-based strategies to help you on your journey towards stroke recovery

    From regaining arm function to communication skills, post-stroke recovery is no easy feat. However, research highlights a variety of strategies that stroke survivors can lean on.
  • Blog Post

    Life post-stroke: Using virtual reality to achieve real world improvements

    Get gaming! Virtual reality therapy may help stroke survivors regain arm function and ease back into their daily activities.
  • Blog Post

    Supplementing our diets with supplements for heart health?

    At one time or another, dietary supplements have been a feature of many of our shopping carts and medicine cabinets. But is there substance to the hype when it comes to our heart health? The research suggests no, except in very specific scenarios.
  • Blog Post

    Preventing heart attacks: Is aspirin a safe choice?

    Aspirin is one of the world’s most widely used drugs. Although for some time it was believed that aspirin helped prevent heart attacks, emerging research suggests that in adults without a history of heart disease, aspirin may do more harm than good.
  • Blog Post

    Abnormal heart rhythms: How do different medications stack up?

    For people with atrial fibrillation, newer blood thinners may be safer and more effective than older, more commonly prescribed medications.
  • Blog Post

    Mirror therapy for stroke rehabilitation: Tricking the brain into believing what it sees

    Mirror therapy shows promise in helping stroke survivors recover limb movement and resume activities of daily living.
  • Blog Post

    Walking: An age-old strategy to boost your health

    As you get older, getting from one place to another can be a challenge. To put you on the road to better health, invest in a sturdy pair of shoes and use the power of your own two feet to get you to where you need to be.
  • Blog Post

    Recovering from a brain injury? Video games can help!

    They say time flies when you’re having fun. So the key to encouraging people to do their rehabilitation exercises is to make sure they’re enjoyable. Are technology-based games the solution?
  • Blog Post

    Regaining language skills after a stroke: Will speech therapy help?

    Recovering from a stroke often includes recovering language and communications skills. Speech language therapy can help.
  • Blog Post

    Nurse-led clinics offer support for people with heart disease

    Nurse-led clinics can help patients with cardiovascular diseases manage their medications and make and maintain lifestyles changes, benefiting long-term health and survival compared to usual care.
  • Blog Post

    News 'flash' for women: the latest findings on hormone therapy for menopause & heart disease

    For years hormone therapy was the “go to” for relieving symptoms of menopause; it was also believed to protect against age-related diseases. Recent evidence sheds a clearer light on how hormone therapy impacts heart health.
  • Blog Post

    Stroke centre or local hospital? In an emergency just call 911!

    Specialized, designated stroke centres help reduce death and disability due to stroke. However, in an emergency, is it worth bypassing closer local hospitals to take stroke victims to a designated centre?
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