[Thrombolytic therapy: formation and current practice of intravenous thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke].

The benefits and limitations of intravenous thrombolytic therapy using recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (alteplase) are discussed. Pathophysiological background of thrombolysis, its history and ways of clinical usage, the major clinical trials, assessing safety and efficacy of the method, and practical recommendations, are presented.