Timely Administration of Thrombolytic Therapy in Acute Ischemic Stroke: An Ethnographic Study

In every eight (8) patients who receive the treatment, two (2) of them will improve functionally and can be discharged from the hospital within three (3) days without any physical disability. The thrombolysis therapy offers an opportunity to effectively reduce disability and dependency. However, one (1) in every twenty (20) patients who receives the treatment could potentially have adverse reactions such as bleeding in the brain or elsewhere in the body. The success and benefits of this treatment are time-dependent. The International Guidelines recommend a door-to-needle (DTN) time of 60 minutes The DTN time is defined as the time when a suspected stroke arrives by the door of emergency room (ER) and the time that the thrombolytic therapy is given. The sooner the therapy is given, the higher the chances of patient's recovery from a devastating stroke. Time is of the essence in thrombolytic therapy in acute stroke because timely administration of the treatment can dramatically improve patient's outcome.