Ischemic stroke causes the largest loss of QALY. Aging is the most important risk factor. The majority of ischemic strokes can be prevented by managing the key risk factors: hypertension, smoking, abdominal obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia and atrial fibrillation. Effective treatment can significantly reduce disability. The key steps to improve the outcome are early diagnosis of stroke symptoms, access to thrombolytic therapy, and acute care in a dedicated stroke unit where assessment and rehabilitation is carried out by a multi-professional rehabilitation team.