Coinciding with the World Stroke Day, Dr. Joan Montaner, head of the Neurovascular Diseases group at Vall d’Hebron Institute of Research (VHIR), has pointed out the need to invest in stroke research in an "http://www.rtve.es/alacarta/audios/serveis-informatius-radio-4/edicio-migdia-felip-puig-diu-radio-4-espera-pugui-reobrir-dialeg-amb-govern-central/2107247/" interview to the Spanish public radio, RNE-Ràdio 4 .“Identifying people with medical risk factors for stroke would pay off the System. We cannot wait any longer for the onset of the disease and spending 100,000 euros per patient, besides the huge drama that represents for patients and families”, Dr. Montaner said after explaining the clinical trial that his group is carrying out at VHIR. According to the results of the first stage of the study which took a sample of 1,000 patients with hypertension aged between 50 and 70, 15% of patients presented brain injuries caused by silent strokes. At present, researchers are studying the second stage of the clinical trial, analyzing the common characteristics of people who suffered silent strokes. Such data will be useful to establish in a future an ordinary protocol, as it happens with mammography, in order to prevent stroke. In Catalonia, “Codi Ictus” has avoided the 7 per cent of deaths due to stroke during the last 7 years. Furthermore, since November 2012, professionals from Vall d’Hebron, Germans Trias i Pujol and Bellvitge hospitals have assessed more than 500 complex cases of stroke and treated 103 with catheterization, thanks to a 24-hour programme of neurological medical care.