Current status and advances in comprehensive treatment of acute ischemic stroke in China: from evidence-based guidelines to clinical practice

The leading cause of death and disability in Chinese residents is acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Standardized comprehensive treatment is essential for improving AIS outcomes. This article provides a systems-level analysis of the comprehensive treatment system of AIS in China by integrating evidence-based clinical guidelines, real-world clinical practice data and national medical quality control results, reviews the complete process from pre-hospital emergency care to ultra-early reperfusion therapy (intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular treatment) to the management of acute-phase complications to secondary prevention and rehabilitation. The article integrates the latest clinical research data, current diagnostic and treatment guidelines and medical quality control report in China, carries out a critical analysis on the strengths, weaknesses and regional imbalance of current treatment models by grading the evidence strength of different research types (randomized controlled trials, observational studies, guidelines and meta-analyses), and elaborates on future development direction which can serve as reference to improve overall treatment level of AIS in China.