The emerging role of induced hypothermia in the management of acute stroke.
Current treatment of acute stroke remains unsatisfactory. This review presents experimental and clinical data which suggest that mild induced hypothermia could be a potent and practicable neuroprotective treatment of acute ischaemic stroke and intracerebral haemorrhage. Hypothermia, if proven to be safe, effective and widely practicable in patients with acute stroke, could have an enormous positive impact on reducing the burden of stroke worldwide. Critical issues that will need to be considered in a well designed randomised controlled trial of induced hypothermia in acute stroke patients are discussed.
Feigin
Valery L
VL
Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. v.feigin@ctru.auckland.ac.nz
Anderson
Craig S
CS
Rodgers
Anthony
A
Anderson
Neil E
NE
Gunn
Alistair J
AJ
D000208:Acute Disease; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics; D017694:Rewarming; D012768:Shivering / Q000502:physiology; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*