Hyperacute management of ischemic stroke.

Stroke is a devastating disease and currently the fourth leading cause of death in this country. Acute ischemic stroke is an emergency and requires effective triage, diagnosis, and critical management. The hyperacute management of ischemic stroke begins in the field, with recognition of stroke symptoms by emergency medical systems (EMS) personnel. The EMS is an important component to an effective stroke system of care, which also includes primary stroke centers, routing protocols for acute ischemic stroke, and telemedicine. Following the arrival of a potential stroke patient to the emergency room setting, patients should be stabilized and undergo assessment for potential intravenous alteplase (IV tPA) treatment. Assessments include diagnostic tests, neuroimaging, and standardized stroke evaluations. After these assessments have been performed, IV tPA, the only medication for acute stroke approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, can be considered using a variety of inclusion and exclusion criteria. Previously time restrictions limited the usage of IV tPA to 3 hours, but this time window has now been extended for eligible candidates to 4.5 hours. The administration of IV tPA has specific requirements for monitoring and should be standardized via protocol across hospitals.