The European Stroke Organisation (ESO) has issued a renewed call for immediate national action following the publication of the mid-term review and update of the Stroke Action Plan for Europe 2018–2030 (SAP-E). Published in the European Stroke Journal, the updated plan highlights meaningful progress in stroke care across Europe since 2018, while exposing persistent and wide-ranging inequities in access to prevention, acute treatment, rehabilitation, and life-after-stroke support.1-3
ESO and the Stroke Alliance for Europe (SAFE) emphasise in a recent press release that without sustained political commitment and investment, preventable deaths and long-term disability will continue to place a significant burden on patients, families, and health systems.4
SAP-E mid-term update: progress alongside persistent inequalities
The updated SAP-E provides a comprehensive review of stroke care across Europe in 2025, spanning the full continuum from primary prevention to life after stroke. While several countries have made notable advances, including an increase in the number of national stroke plans and improved access to acute interventions. The report reveals substantial variation between countries and regions.3
Data from the Stroke Services Tracker show that access to dedicated stroke units, timely reperfusion therapies, and structured follow-up care remains inconsistent. In particular, delays in access to thrombectomy and limited availability of post-stroke rehabilitation and long-term support continue to undermine outcomes for many patients.4
A clear roadmap to 2030
The SAP-E update reinforces four overarching targets to be achieved by 2030, including a 15% reduction in the age-standardised incidence of stroke and ensuring that at least 90% of patients with acute stroke are treated in dedicated stroke units as the first level of care. Updated key performance indicators aim to improve accountability and enable benchmarking at national and European levels.3
The plan places particular emphasis on prevention, calling for stronger multisector public-health strategies targeting modifiable risk factors such as hypertension, smoking, physical inactivity, and air pollution, alongside opportunistic screening for atrial fibrillation and metabolic risk factors.3
Society perspective: A call to policymakers and health systems
Commenting on the update, Professor Simona Sacco, President of ESO, described the SAP-E as “a wake-up call” for European health systems, stressing that evidence-based solutions already exist but require political will and sustained funding to be implemented at scale.4
Professor Hariklia Proios, President of SAFE, highlighted that stroke must be addressed not only as an acute emergency but as a lifelong condition requiring coordinated care, rehabilitation, and long-term support for survivors and their families.4
Implications for clinical practice and research
For clinicians, the SAP-E mid-term review underscores the importance of organised stroke unit care, rapid access to reperfusion therapies, and structured follow-up to optimise long-term outcomes. The report also identifies priority areas for future research, including digital health solutions, telemedicine, personalised secondary prevention, and strategies to reduce inequalities in access to care.3
As a society partner of touchNEUROLOGY, ESO continues to advocate for harmonized, evidence-based stroke care across Europe, supporting clinicians, researchers, and policymakers in working towards equitable and sustainable improvements in stroke prevention and treatment.
References
- European Stroke Organisation. The Voice of Stroke in Europe. 2026. Available at: https://eso-stroke.org/ (accessed 20 January 2026).
- European Stroke Organisation. Stroke Action Plan for Europe (SAP-E). Available at: https://eso-stroke.org/projects/stroke-action-plan/ (accessed 20 January 2026)
- Christensen H, Pezzella FR, Roaldsen MB, et al. Stroke Action Plan for Europe 2018–2030 (SAP-E): mid-term review and update. European Stroke Journal. 2026;11(1):1–31. https://doi.org/10.1093/esj/aakaf026
- European Stroke Organisation; Stroke Alliance for Europe. New European Stroke Action Plan urges immediate national action. Press release. 2026. Available at: https://actionplan.eso-stroke.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/January-2026_Press-Release_SAPE-Publication.pdf (accessed 20 January 2026).
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Cite: European Stroke Organisation calls for urgent national action as updated Stroke Action Plan highlights persistent gaps in care. touchNEUROLOGY. 20 January 2026.
Editor: Katey Gabrysch, Editorial Director.
Disclosures: The content was developed and edited by human editors. No fees or funding were associated with its publication. touchNEUROLOGY utilize AI as an editorial tool (ChatGPT (GPT-4o) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat).
This content has been developed independently by Touch Medical Media for touchNEUROLOGY in collaboration with European Stroke Organisation.
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