Palliative and End-of-Life Care in Stroke: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Objective: To provide an update on palliative care needs specific to stroke and provide key points for clinicians and health care systems caring for patients with stroke and their families.

Methods: Members of the writing group were chosen to represent the multidisciplinary team of professionals who care for people who have had a stroke. Each member was assigned a topic within their area of expertise, reviewed the literature, and drafted content with a focus on the past decade to complement the 2014 American Heart Association scientific statement on palliative and end-of-life care in stroke.

Results: Stroke has multidimensional effects on patients and their families because of threats to personhood, prognostic uncertainty, and the need to adapt to functional changes after stroke. Palliative care has evolved as both a specialty and a skillset with a goal to improve communication about goals of care and quality of life for patients and their families that emphasizes a holistic, all-person approach. After stroke, palliative care needs (eg, to address pain and physical, emotional, psychosocial, and spiritual distress) are insufficiently addressed by current models of care. Integrating palliative care principles is fundamental in all stages of stroke and should include strategies to improve communication about prognosis and goals of care, address psychosocial needs such as coping with loss, navigating complex health care systems, and preparing for death when necessary. We also review strategies to address the substantial inequities that exist across sociodemographic and regional strata in the use of life-sustaining treatment and access to specialists in stroke or palliative care.

Conclusions: Palliative care needs are common after stroke and should be addressed throughout the illness continuum. Research is urgently needed.