Brain attack: emergency treatment of ischemic stroke.

Thrombolysis has been demonstrated to be an effective treatment for ischemic stroke. The major obstacles to more widespread use of this therapy are lack of awareness that the treatment is possible and the short (less than three hours) therapeutic window. Indiscriminant use of this therapy can lead to an unacceptably high rate of intracerebral hemorrhage. Early recognition of the onset of stroke. Immediate transfer to a suitably equipped treatment facility and careful screening of a computed tomographic scan of the head for signs of early infarction are necessary for the safe administration of intravenous thrombolysis.