President
Medtronic Neurovascular
Stroke remains one of the leading causes of death and long-term disability worldwide, with patient outcomes closely tied to how quickly individuals can access specialized care. Despite major advances in stroke intervention over the past decade, substantial gaps remain across prevention, access to treatment and long-term recovery, both in high-income countries and globally.
Linnea Burman, President of Medtronic Neurovascular, has spent more than 20 years working across Medtronic’s Neurosciences Portfolio, witnessing firsthand how stroke care has evolved.
In this Xtalks Clinical Edge interview, Linnea spoke with Xtalks about how her perspective on stroke care has changed over time, the persistent gaps in treatment and access that continue to shape outcomes and the role of partnerships in expanding care globally. She also shared how insights from patients and clinicians guide innovation in neurovascular technologies.
A Career Shaped by Stroke Survivors
Linnea’s perspective on stroke care was shaped early in her career, when she worked on a therapy used to help manage post-stroke spasticity, one of the physical symptoms that can follow a stroke and contribute to long-term disability.
At the time, her role extended well beyond product development. She spent significant time with stroke survivors and caregivers, attending meetings and visiting patients in their homes to better understand how stroke affected daily life after survival.
“I just became very passionate and developed a deep understanding of what it meant to live with the impact of stroke after somebody survived one.”
Read Xtalks Clinical Edge™ Issue 7
Xtalks Clinical Edge is a magazine for clinical research professionals and all who want to be informed about the latest trends and happenings in clinical trials. This magazine immerses you in a world where industry leaders, patient advocates and top researchers converge to provide the most insightful perspectives on clinical trials.
As her career progressed, Linnea moved into different parts of Medtronic, including periods when the company invested heavily in the clinical trials that helped bring mechanical thrombectomy into the forefront of stroke care. Those trials, she noted, fundamentally changed how acute ischemic stroke is treated.
While acknowledging how far the field has come, Linnea emphasized that progress in acute intervention has not eliminated broader challenges.
“We’ve made tremendous progress as a field, but there is still so much work to do on prevention, access to treatment, as well as long-term outcomes.”
— Linnea Burman, President, Medtronic Neurovascular
The Ongoing Global Burden of Stroke
Despite advances in technology and clinical practice, Linnea described the current global burden of stroke as still unacceptably high.
She pointed to the scale of the problem, noting that nearly 12 million people worldwide experience a stroke each year, and that stroke remains the second leading cause of death and the third leading cause of disability globally.
Linnea also highlighted the seriousness of outcomes following stroke, stating that one in four stroke survivors will die within a year. She emphasized that the impact of stroke is especially severe in low- and middle-income countries, where most stroke-related deaths and disabilities occur.
“The current burden of stroke is still unacceptable.”
Beyond clinical outcomes, Linnea stressed that disparities in access to care are compounded by gaps in community education. Recognizing stroke symptoms and acting quickly remain critical barriers to improving outcomes, regardless of geography.
She underscored the importance of continuing to educate every generation about the signs of stroke and the urgency of rapid treatment.
Partnerships as a Pathway to Broader Access
Linnea was clear that improving equity and access to advanced stroke care cannot be achieved by a single organization.
She described Medtronic’s leadership role as one rooted in collaboration, working alongside industry partners, governments and global health organizations. This includes partnerships with companies such as Philips, participation in the Global Stroke Action Coalition and engagement with initiatives like Mission Thrombectomy through the Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology.
Through these efforts, Linnea explained, the work spans multiple fronts: removing structural barriers to care, generating the local clinical evidence required to support adoption of therapies in different countries and helping governments understand both the health and economic burden of stroke.
“We help governments understand the burden of stroke and the cost-effectiveness of treating stroke more effectively.”
Education remains a priority even in countries with advanced healthcare systems. Linnea noted that access within the United States is still uneven, reinforcing the need for continued physician training and public awareness efforts.
She also emphasized the urgency of time in acute stroke care.
“There’s a saying that time is brain, and we know that 1.9 million neurons are destroyed every minute during an acute ischemic stroke, so time is really critical.”
— Linnea Burman, President, Medtronic Neurovascular
Join or login to leave a comment
JOIN LOGIN