Stroke and the need for immediate assistance at the place of onset: the future of mandatory training for lay people in Italy.

Abstract

Introduction: Lay training is essential to manage emergencies properly, although patients or bystanders need increased recognition of medical urgencies such as strokes. In Italy, as defined by Legislative Decree 81/08, all companies must train employees responsible for correctly recognizing and managing medical emergencies. Our study aims to evaluate the characteristics of medical emergencies concerning patients with a possible stroke in the Lombardy Region. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted. All missions performed by Regional Agency for Emergencies and Urgencies (Agenzia Regionale Emergenza Urgenza - AREU) in which the patient presented a possible stroke, recorded in the SAS-Areu database, were analyzed. The study period was from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019. Results: 10,201 patients with possible stroke were rescued, of whom only 540 (5.3%) occurred in workplaces. In workplaces, the percentage of males with a possible stroke was higher (62.2% vs 45.2%; p<0.01) and the mean age of rescued patients was lower (64.7 vs 77.5; p<0.01). Conclusions: A stroke occurs less frequently in the workplace, while most events occur at home. Man-datory training on early stroke recognition should be extended to schools and conveyed through a media information campaign. Lay training is the first point in the chain of survival; redefining training is critical for the future.