Unique Simulation Training Course Ushers in New Era of Stroke In...(ng a clot from the brain in the cardiac ...),Health

An estimated 750,000 people experience a stroke each year in the United States. Stroke is the No. 3 killer of Americans, responsible for one of every 16 deaths, and the top cause of adult disability in the United States. In 2007, representatives from interested medical disciplines, industry and government convened the first Stroke Roundtable to develop guidelines and conduct research on stroke. SCAI was the first organization to launch a stroke intervention course in late 2007, "Advanced Course in Carotid Stenting," and the Introductory Neuro Rescue course is the first course of its kind to provide acute stroke intervention simulation training for cardiologists.

"Interventional treatments are the future of stroke care. With advances in treating carotid artery disease with stenting, it is important for cardiologists to be trained to stop strokes," said Bonnie H. Weiner, MD, MSEC, MBA, FSCAI, SCAI Immediate Past President. "New interventional treatments are showing great promise in stopping stroke, just as similar treatments have revolutionized heart attack care over the past 30 years and dramatically reduced death rates."

A key challenge now is to train a sufficient number of physicians around the country to deliver these important treatments and raise awareness among patients about the importance of seeking care quickly if they experience symptoms of stroke, Dr. Weiner said. As the procedure evolves, SCAI will also work with other societies and agencies to assess the effectiveness of these interventions against existing benchmarks for the treatment of stroke.

"Stroke remains a leading cause of disability and death worl
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