Acute ischaemic stroke

  • Intravenous thrombolysis within 4.5 hours of onset in eligible patients; benefit falls sharply with time, hence the emphasis on door-to-needle intervals.
  • Mechanical thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion within 6 hours, and out to 24 hours in selected patients where advanced imaging shows salvageable tissue.
  • Permissive hypertension in patients not receiving thrombolysis — treat only above roughly 220/120 mmHg. Lowering pressure reduces collateral flow to the penumbra.
  • After thrombolysis, keep blood pressure below 180/105 mmHg to limit haemorrhagic transformation.
  • Decompressive hemicraniectomy within 48 hours for malignant middle cerebral artery infarction reduces mortality substantially. Survival with significant disability is the common outcome, so this is a decision requiring explicit discussion with family.