Cost burden of stroke mimics and transient ischemic attack after intravenous tissue plasminogen activator treatment.

Background: Treatment decisions for patients with acute stroke symptoms are based on pertinent history, neurologic examination, laboratory studies, and head computed tomography. In this setting, patients with stroke mimic (SM) may mistakenly receive intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV-rtPA). The goal of this study was to investigate the excess direct/indirect hospital costs among patients who received IV-rtPA when final diagnosis was not ischemic stroke.

Safety of a "drip and ship" intravenous thrombolysis protocol for patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Background: The "drip and ship" approach for intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) is becoming the standard of care for patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in communities without direct access to a stroke specialist. We aimed to demonstrate the safety of our "drip and ship" IVT protocol.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients with AIS treated with IVT between January 2003 and January 2011.