Life-Saving Stroke Treatment Is Under-Prescribed

Intravenous (IV) alteplase, a clot-dissolving medication, was associated with reduced long-term mortality, according to the findings of a recent study.

In their study, the researchers linked 2008 through 2013 data from the Georgia Coverdell Acute Stroke Registry to hospital discharge and death data through 2014. A total of 9620 patients who experienced an acute ischemic stroke within this period were identified. The researchers compared the 1-year mortality and readmission of patients who received treatment with alteplase with those who did not.
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Within 1 year, 20.3% of patients died and 22.4% were readmitted.

The researchers’ analysis showed that patients who did not receive IV alteplase were 1.49 times more likely to die at 1 year compared with those treated with IV alteplase.

However, the researchers did not observe any statistically significant differences in the odds of being readmitted at least once within 1 year among patients who were discharged home.

“After accounting for patient differences and missing value, intravenous alteplase is associated with reduction in long-term mortality,” the researchers concluded. “The results of this study suggest that patients who are identified as eligible for intravenous alteplase need to be offered the treatment.”

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

Ido MS, Frankel MR, Okosun IS, Rothenberg RB. The impact of intravenous alteplase on long-term patient survival: The Georgia Coverdell acute stroke registry's experience [published online July 31, 2017]. Am J Emerg Med. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2017.07.092.