Abstract

The treatment of patients with stroke raises several ethical issues. The impact of a stroke on a patient’s cognition, communication, and understanding can hinder their ability to make decisions about their treatment. Often, strokes occur suddenly and unexpectedly, leaving both the patient and their family unprepared for decision-making. Key concepts such as decision-making capacity, identification of a healthcare proxy, and informed consent are critical during the acute phase of stroke treatment and throughout short- and medium-term care. Treatment decisions encompass various options, ranging from initial therapies like thrombolysis or thrombectomy to invasive procedures, resuscitation, palliative care, and others. Prognosis inevitably plays a role in decision-making, and although various tools aid in this process, some reservations remain.

Keywords

decision-making capacity, ethical issues, healthcare proxy, informed consent, treatment decisions