Reasons for exclusion from thrombolytic therapy following acute ischemic stroke

Neurology. 2005 Feb 22;64(4):719-20. doi: 10.1212/01.WNL.0000152041.20486.2F.

Abstract

Despite evidence for the efficacy of thrombolytic therapy in acute ischemic stroke, only 1 to 7% of patients receive this therapy. The authors sought to determine the reasons for exclusion from tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) in an acute setting and found avoidable causes in 18% of patients. Improvements in intrahospital coordination would increase the number of patients who might benefit from tPA treatment at the authors' center.

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Brain Ischemia / diagnosis
  • Brain Ischemia / drug therapy*
  • Brain Ischemia / epidemiology
  • Cerebral Hemorrhage / drug therapy
  • Cerebral Hemorrhage / epidemiology
  • Cerebral Infarction / drug therapy
  • Cerebral Infarction / epidemiology
  • Contraindications
  • Early Diagnosis
  • Emergency Service, Hospital / statistics & numerical data*
  • Female
  • Fibrinolytic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Ischemic Attack, Transient / drug therapy
  • Ischemic Attack, Transient / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neurology
  • Recombinant Proteins / therapeutic use
  • Referral and Consultation / statistics & numerical data
  • Third-Party Consent
  • Thrombolytic Therapy / statistics & numerical data*
  • Time Factors
  • Tissue Plasminogen Activator / therapeutic use*
  • Treatment Refusal

Substances

  • Fibrinolytic Agents
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Tissue Plasminogen Activator