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Thrombolytic Therapy for Acute Ischemic Stroke: The CAEP Position Statement: another perspective

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 May 2015

Michael D. Hill ,
Gordon J. Gubitz ,
Stephen J. Phillips  and
Alastair M. Buchan
Michael D. Hill*
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Foothills Hospital, Calgary, Alta
Gordon J. Gubitz
Affiliation:
Division of Neurology, Dalhousie University, Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, Halifax, NS
Stephen J. Phillips
Affiliation:
Division of Neurology, Dalhousie University, Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, Halifax, NS
Alastair M. Buchan
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Foothills Hospital, Calgary, Alta
*
Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Rm. MRG005, Foothills Medical Centre, 1403 29th St. NW, Calgary AB T2N 2T9; [email protected]

Extract

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The cautiously-worded Position Statement recently issued by the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (see Appendix 1) regarding the use of intravenous recombinant tissue-plasminogen activator (tPA, alteplase) for acute ischemic stroke underscores the reality that many physicians in Canada have been reluctant to embrace this therapy. Much of the caution expressed in the CAEP document is related to 2 major areas of concern: evidence of efficacy (i.e., did tPA really “prove” itself in randomized trials?) and effectiveness (i.e., are the trial results generalizable to everyday practice?). While we support the development of documents that help to clarify controversial treatments, and agree with much of what is presented in the CAEP Position Statement, we offer the following comments.

Type
Controversies • Controverses
Information
Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine , Volume 3 , Issue 3 , July 2001 , pp. 180 - 182
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians 2001

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