NeuroCardio Protocol

Abstract

Following an acute stroke, patients face drastically elevated risk of major adverse cardiac events, yet most clinical settings lack a systematic protocol for screening and post-stroke management, contributing to preventable mortality. To address this gap, we have developed a clinical workflow for acute stroke patients. The 5-phase workflow provides a clear pathway from admission to discharge, integrating two novel scoring systems, the SHS (Stroke-Heart Syndrome)-Early Risk Score for initial stratification and the SHS-Severity Score for guiding escalation of care once a cardiac injury is confirmed. The workflow includes a user-friendly website tool that streamlines score calculation, ensuring rapid and accurate clinical decision-making. By formalizing this process, the workflow aims to shift post-stroke care from a reactive to a proactive model, enabling timely, risk-appropriate interventions. The successful adoption of this protocol is projected to significantly reduce the incidence of preventable cardiac complications, decrease risks of mortality, and optimize the use of specialized cardiology resources. This guide outlines a scalable implementation roadmap with the ultimate goal of establishing a new, safer standard of care for stroke survivors everywhere.