Pharmacological therapy of acute ischaemic stroke: Achievements and problems

Acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Its incidence and prevalence increase considerably with age and numbers will grow with an ageing population. Consequently, the impact of AIS on costs is soaring. AIS is caused by the abrupt occlusion of an intracranial vessel resulting in reduced blood flow to the brain region supplied. The ischaemic core (which is irreversibly lesioned) is surrounded by the penumbra region with less severe flow reduction, lower functional impairment and potential recovery. Therefore, the fundamental treatment of AIS relies on prompt recanalisation and reperfusion of the threatened, but potentially salvageable, ischaemic penumbra. With this aim, intravenous thrombolysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) remains the current strategy. However, thrombolysis is underused, owing to various exclusion criteria that limit the number of treated patients. Other thrombolytics are under investigation. Endovascular therapy with mechanical recanalisation devices is also increasingly applied, though definite evidence of its benefit is lacking. Moreover, hypertension and hyperglycaemia are acute complications to be treated in AIS. This review analyses the current status, the problems, the perspectives and the cost-effectiveness of the pharmacological therapy for AIS.