The international surgical trial in intracerebral haemorrhage (STICH) — what are its implications in a resource limited health system like Pakistan?

Why is the study important? Spontaneous supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhage accounts for 20% of all strokes and carries up to 40% mortality. Since hypertension affects about a quarter of Pakistanis above age 45, combined with inadequate control, it is expected that hypertensive ICH constitutes an important proportion of the overall burden of stroke in Pakistan and indeed the developing world.