Assessing the potential of intravenous thrombolytic therapy in acute ischemic stroke in our setting

ABSTRACT

Background and purposes: Intravenous thrombolytic treatment with alteplase has shown to improve clinical outcomes significantly in patients with acute ischemic stroke when administered within 4.5 hours of onset of first symptom. Our study aims to determine how many stroke patients reached the Accident and Emergency of a tertiary care health facility in Lahore, Pakistan within the 4.5 hour time limit. Moreover we also set out to see how many stroke patients got imaging done [CT scan/ MRJ] with in the 4.5 hours from the onset of first symptoms at the tertiary care facility. Through this study we may be able to assess if intravenous thrombolysis has any potential of being offered to ischemic stroke patients in our setting: