TY - JOUR
T1 - The implementation of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator in acute ischaemic stroke - A scientific position statement from the National Stroke foundation and the Stroke Society of Australasia
AU - Levi, Christopher
AU - Lindley, Richard
AU - Smith, Brendon
AU - Bladin, Christopher
AU - Parsons, Mark
AU - Read, Stephen
AU - Cadilhac, Dominique
AU - Donnan, Geoffrey
AU - Davis, Stephen
AU - Hankey, Graeme
AU - Crimmins, Dennis
AU - Gerraty, Richard
AU - Blacker, David
AU - Schultz, David
AU - Grimley, Rohan
AU - Lalor, Erin
PY - 2009/5/1
Y1 - 2009/5/1
N2 - Intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) has been licensed in Australia for thrombolysis in selected patients with acute ischaemic stroke since 2003. The use of tPA is low but is increasing across Australia and national audits indicate efficacy and safety outcomes equivalent to international benchmarks. Implementing tPA therapy in clinical practice is, however, challenging and requires a coordinated multidisciplinary approach to acute stroke care across prehospital, emergency department and inpatient care sectors. Stroke care units are an essential ingredient underpinning safe implementation of stroke thrombolysis. Support systems such as care pathways, therapy delivery protocols, and thrombolysis-experienced multidisciplinary care teams are also important enablers. Where delivery of stroke thrombolysis is being planned, health systems need to be re-configured to provide these important elements. This consensus statement provides a review of the evidence for, and implementation of, tPA in acute ischaemic stroke with specific reference to the Australian health-care system.
AB - Intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) has been licensed in Australia for thrombolysis in selected patients with acute ischaemic stroke since 2003. The use of tPA is low but is increasing across Australia and national audits indicate efficacy and safety outcomes equivalent to international benchmarks. Implementing tPA therapy in clinical practice is, however, challenging and requires a coordinated multidisciplinary approach to acute stroke care across prehospital, emergency department and inpatient care sectors. Stroke care units are an essential ingredient underpinning safe implementation of stroke thrombolysis. Support systems such as care pathways, therapy delivery protocols, and thrombolysis-experienced multidisciplinary care teams are also important enablers. Where delivery of stroke thrombolysis is being planned, health systems need to be re-configured to provide these important elements. This consensus statement provides a review of the evidence for, and implementation of, tPA in acute ischaemic stroke with specific reference to the Australian health-care system.
KW - Acute management
KW - Cerebrovascular disease
KW - Stroke
KW - Thrombolysis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=67650917363&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1445-5994.2009.01938.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1445-5994.2009.01938.x
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:67650917363
VL - 39
SP - 317
EP - 324
JO - Internal Medicine Journal
JF - Internal Medicine Journal
SN - 0004-8291
IS - 5
ER -