Safety and efficacy of alteplase in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke

Giuseppe Micieli, Simona Marcheselli, Piera Angela TosiNeurology and Stroke Unit, IRCCS Istituto Clinico Humanitas, Rozzano (MI), italyAbstract: After publication of the results of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke study, the application of intravenous thrombolysis for ischemic stroke was launched and has now been in use for more than 10 years. The approval of this drug represented only the first step of the therapeutic approach to this pathology. Despite proven efficacy, concerns remain regarding the safety of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator for acute ischemic stroke used in routine clinical practice. As a result, a small proportion of patients are currently treated with thrombolytic drugs. Several factors explain this situation: a limited therapeutic window, insufficient public knowledge of the warning signs for stroke, the small number of centers able to administer thrombolysis on a 24-hour basis and an excessive fear of hemorrhagic complications. The aim of this review is to explore the clinical efficacy of treatment with alteplase and consider the hemorrhagic risks.Keywords: rt-PA, acute ischemic stroke, intracranial hemorrhage