ABSTRACT

The aim of the present study was to determine the demographic characteristics, localization of emboli, imaging findings, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores, and complications of patients who received intravenous (iv) tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) due to early period of ischemic cerebrovascular disease (CVD) during the 6-year period in a tertiary level emergency department of a university hospital.

The study was retrospectively performed in 65 patients aged ≥18 years and who underwent iv t-PA with a diagnosis of ischemic CVD. Demographic data, such as age, gender, and smoking, were obtained by examining the medical records of the patients. The baseline Glasgow Coma Scale, NIHSS, start time of the event, time of admission to the hospital, and prognosis of the patients were recorded.

Intracranial hemorrhage was detected in 16.9% of the patients after treatment. On examination of the patients’ outcome, a total of 32.3% (n=21) died after therapy. A significant correlation was observed between high NIHSS score and complications.

In our study, a high NIHSS score at the time of admission has been found to increase both the risk of intracerebral hemorrhagic complication and mortality. We hypothesize that iv t-PA treatment gives successful results despite the complications, and emergency physicians should be more courageous in their application.

Keywords: Emergency medicine, ischemic stroke, tissue plasminogen activator