Ischemic stroke thrombolysis in third level hospital: a case series report

Abstract

Background: Worldwide, the stroke is the second
leading cause of death and the third leading cause of disability.
In Honduras, stroke is the leading cause of hospital admission
in the public system. Thrombolytic therapy has been shown
to be effective for stroke. There is not availability of this acute
thrombolytic management at the public level. Due to the above,
a case series was analyzed to contribute with information about
the usefulness of this therapeutic option at the Hospital Escuela
(HE). Description of the cases: We analyzed a series of seven
cases of patients with acute ischemic stroke managed at the
HE, in the standard window period of 4.5 hours, time elapsed
between start of the event and therapeutic intervention. These
patients presented with symptoms of focal sensory-motor, speech,
language, and cranial nerve deficits. Informed consent was applied
for medication administration, and signed consent was obtained
for data publication, ensuring the anonymity of each patient.
85.7% (6/7) of the patients had a satisfactory evolution and without
major complications. Conclusions: Through this case series, a
satisfactory therapeutic response was identified in patients with
ischemic stroke who received thrombolytic therapy in the window
period. Although well established in international management
guidelines, this type of treatment showed a direct influence on
the favorable prognosis of our patients. The foregoing constitutes
the basis for developing local protocols and the strengthening of
specialized care units at the public level.