A recently published article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has shed some light on the availability for treatment of stroke victims, as well as the barriers there are in getting victims the treatment they need within the time when it makes a difference.

The medication is tPA – officially “Tissue Plasminogen Activator” and colloquially a “clotbusting” drug. Victims of ischemic strokes who are treated quickly – within 60 minutes of experiencing stroke symptoms – have the best chance to avoid brain damage or death. Certainly, tPA is given after this time for patients in the hopes of being effective, but this article highlights the idea that sooner is better.

The problem is, for many reasons, most victims eligible for the treatment do not receive it within this “golden hour.”

The JAMA article details the ways in which hospitals can shorten the time from “Door-to-Needle.” This includes improved communication between ambulance staff and the emergency department, educating the public on how to identify a person who is having a stroke, and even having specialized ambulances bring the treatment to the stroke victim, complete with tPA, a CT scanner, lab equipment, and a neurologist.

As of now, only 30% of stoke victims receive tPA within 60 minutes. JAMA and the American Stroke Association have collaborated on “Target:Stroke,” which is designed to improve the quality of stroke treatment nationally. Target:Stroke is recognizing hospitals who meet their goal of treating at least 50% of stroke victims within an hour.

You can read an article summarizing the JAMA article here:

[Hospitals Can Speed Stroke Treatment, But It’s Not Easy][1]

You can find the full JAMA article for free here:

[Door-to-Needle Times for Tissue Plasminogen Activator Administration and Clinical Outcomes in Acute Ischemic Stroke Before and After a Quality Improvement Initiative][2]

[1]: http://kuow.org/post/hospitals-can-speed-stroke-treatment-its-not-easy “Hospitals Can Speed Stroke Treatment, But It’s Not Easy”
[2]: http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1861802#Results “Door-to-Needle Times for Tissue Plasminogen Activator Administration and Clinical Outcomes in Acute Ischemic Stroke Before and After a Quality Improvement Initiative”