[Intravenous tissue plasminogen activator in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke: feasibility, safety, and efficiency in the 2 first years of the clinical practice].
BACKGROUND
The only effective therapy for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke is the infusion of tissue plasminogen activator in the first three hours after the onset of symptoms.


OBJECTIVE
To report the experience with tissue plasminogen activator infusion in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke.


METHODS
Ten males and 10 females, aged 52 to 85 years old with an acute ischemic stroke, admitted within 89 min after the onset of symptoms were studied. Tissue plasminogen activator was infused following the guidelines designed by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Patients were assessed according to Rankin scale after three months of follow up.


RESULTS
All patients had normal CAT scans. The delay between the onset of symptoms and the infusion ranged from 75 to 180 min. One patient had a gastrointestinal bleeding due to a gastric ulcer and one patient had a fatal intracranial hemorrhage. After three months of follow up, 38% of patients had a good recuperation (Rankin 0 to 1), 33% had a mild to moderate disability (Rankin 2 or 3) and 14% had a moderate to severe disability (Rankin 4). There was a 15% mortality.


CONCLUSIONS
This series show that treatment of acute ischemic stroke with tissue plasminogen activator is feasible and safe. The obtained results are similar to those reported abroad.
Feuerhake
W
W
Departamento de Ciencias Neurológicas, Universidad de Chile.
Chamorro
H
H
Araya
F
F
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator