Initial diagnosis and management of acute ischemic stroke: updates and future directions

Outcomes in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) depend critically on rapid and accurate early diagnosis in the emergency department. Traditional prehospital tools and large vessel occlusion-focused scales facilitate triage but have limited capacity to distinguish ischemic from hemorrhagic stroke, a distinction essential for acute-phase treatment decisions. Recent advances include mobile stroke units equipped with computed tomography (CT), point-of-care laboratories, and telemedicine systems, as well as the emergence of biomarkers that enable field-based diagnosis and faster initiation of therapy. In-hospital imaging strategies incorporating CT, CT perfusion, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based tissue clocks have expanded eligibility for endovascular thrombectomy to include patients with large-core infarction or unclear-onset wake-up strokes. Prolonged cardiac monitoring and high-resolution vessel wall MRI have improved the detection of embolic sources and high-risk atherosclerotic plaques. Artificial intelligence now supports rapid imaging interpretation, workflow optimization, and treatment selection. Tenecteplase, a novel thrombolytic, provides a practical alternative to alteplase with comparable safety and efficacy, while post-thrombectomy management emphasizes individualized blood pressure control. In patients with minor stroke or high-risk transient ischemic attack, short-term dual antiplatelet therapy reduces early recurrence, and early initiation of lipid-lowering agents after AIS may stabilize vulnerable plaques and enhance vascular outcomes. Collectively, these innovations represent a shift toward integrated, time-sensitive, and precision-based AIS care spanning prehospital assessment, emergency department management, and post-reperfusion management.