[Therapeutic hypothermia in neurological critical care]

Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is very effective for the treatment of acute experimental brain injury. In contrast to other neuroprotective methods or pharmacological agents, TH represents the only clinically proven neuroprotective therapy. TH led to a decreased mortality rate and improved functional outcome in patients with cardiac arrest. Investigations in severe head trauma are inconclusive up to now. Other important indications such as ischemic stroke remain to be investigated properly. Recent phase II studies are on the way to test safety and feasibility in the early time window of stroke including thrombolysis. The recent article describes the status and perspectives including open questions for hypothermia in neurological intensive care.