Therapy for early reperfusion after stroke

Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of death and disability in the Western world. At present, intravenous administration of tissue plasminogen activator within 3 h of symptom onset is the only proven effective treatment to re-establish cerebral blood flow in the case of acute vessel occlusion. Unfortunately, few patients presenting with acute ischemic stroke qualify for intravenous tissue plasminogen activator therapy. The focus of current research is, therefore, to find new treatment options by which to obtain early reperfusion, and to extend the therapeutic window for intervention beyond 3 h. The purpose of this Review is to provide an integrated view of the current state of reperfusion therapy in patients with acute stroke, including pharmacologic agents and the methods of delivery. The focus will be on intravenous and intra-arterial use of plasminogen activators in acute supratentorial infarction. Other therapies, such as antiplatelet agents (i.e. glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors), and anticoagulant drugs will be discussed briefly.