Hyper acute stroke unit

About

The hyper acute stroke unit (HASU) at Charing Cross Hospital is one of eight in London, and provides the initial investigation, treatment and care immediately following a stroke. Patients will spend an average of 72 hours in the HASU before being transferred to their local stroke unit for ongoing multidisciplinary inpatient care.

Conditions and treatments

Our HASU sees over 1,700 patients each year for hyper acute care for strokes and suspected strokes and offers a 24/7 thrombolysis (‘clot-busting’) service for appropriate patients, if they are able to come to the emergency department within four and a half hours of their stroke. The 20 bed unit is able to provide 24-hour hyper acute care and imaging, as well as vascular, neurosurgical and neuro-radiological intervention services. All patients are given secondary prevention information before discharge, as well as a clinical nurse specialist (CNS) number they can call for further information if required.