Open AccessTick tock
Author(s) -
А Л Левит,
Brandon Chau
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
uwomj/medical journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2560-8274
pISSN - 0042-0336
DOI - 10.5206/uwomj.v84i1.4323
Subject(s) - thrombolysis , medicine , stroke (engine) , intensive care medicine , window of opportunity , ischemic stroke , presentation (obstetrics) , cardiology , ischemia , surgery , myocardial infarction , mechanical engineering , real time computing , computer science , engineering
Ischemic stroke causes morbidity and death in 55 000 Canadians each year. While acute supportive therapy is essential for stabilizing ischemic stroke patients, resolution of cerebrovascular occlusion can only be accomplished by injection of thrombolytic agents. However, older guidelines restrict thrombolysis to within the first 3 hours of symptom onset. This short window of opportunity for thrombolytic treatment is complicated by its inherent adverse reactions, making it necessary to readily identify potential stroke cases, but also to diagnose accurately to avoid inappropriate treatment. In light of statistics that identify late presentation as the most common reason for stroke patients not to receive thrombolytic treatment, and meta-analyses that now show benefits of thrombolytic treatment up to 6 hours after stroke onset, guidelines are undergoing revision to allow larger treatment windows. This, along with continuing improvements in stroke treatment access and infrastructure, will hopefully lead to better outlooks for Canadians who suffer ischemic stroke.