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Updated: Jul 28, 2025

Prehospital Thrombolysis: A Manual from Berlin
Published on: November 26, 2013
[Intravenous thrombolysis of ischemic stroke-Current status]
Peter Ringleb1, Gregor Bauer2, Jan Purrucker2
1Neurologische Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Deutschland. Peter.Ringleb@med.uni-heidelberg.de.
Abstract:
Intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) treatment with alteplase (rtPA) is an essential part of the routine treatment of patients with ischemic stroke since its introduction in the late 1990s. Rapid treatment is of essential importance. For patients with an unclear time window, various mismatch concepts have been established to identify salvageable brain tissue prior to IVT. Numerous official contraindications for rtPA are not evidence-based; for example, current data from observational studies show that systemic thrombolytic treatment is possible even in patients receiving direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) treatment. Tenecteplase (TNK) is an alternative thrombolytic agent with some pharmacologic advantages. The most recent guidelines indicate that TNK is particularly advantageous over rtPA in patients treated in combination with endovascular stroke therapy (EST). The combination of IVT and EST should primarily be performed in the 4.5‑h time window in patients without contraindications; in the later time window EST alone is conceivable if it can be performed without delay.
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