Detriments of tPA for acute stroke in routine clinical practice

Under optimal conditions, tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) may be a viable option for treatment of acute ischemic stroke; however, this study showed that protocol is not adhered to in practice and that these protocol deviations are associated with increased mortality and other adverse events. Based on these findings, tPA should not be used in routine clinical practice to treat acute stroke until individual hospitals develop protocols to guarantee the medication's appropriate use.