Updates and Revisions

The Canadian Stroke Strategy conducts a formal review and update of the best practice recommendations every two years. Previous editions of the Canadian Best Practice Recommendations for Stroke Care were released in 2006 and 2008.^1,2 The 2010 update was prepared between September 2009 and September 2010.

When new evidence emerges after publication that alters an existing recommendation, the CSS releases an interim bulletin that outlines the required amendment(s). These bulletins are incorporated into the subsequent update as applicable.

The stroke recommendation development process is guided by a set of core principles that state that the recommendations must be:

• supported by the highest levels of evidence and/or be considered essential to delivering high-quality stroke care
• integral to driving health system change
• aligned with other stroke-related Canadian best practice recommendations, e.g., the management of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia reflective, in their totality, of the continuum of stroke care