Drugs and Stroke Treatment “Time is brain” is the recurring phrase when dealing with the treatment and management of stroke (Saver, 2006). Access to timely and appropriate medical care during the first hours after stroke onset is critical to patient survival and outcomes. Recent changes in acute stroke care guidelines released by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Stroke Association (ASA) have improved patient access to treatment. Stroke treatment now follows the pattern of myocardial infarction treatment. Hospitals are classified into four tiers based on their stroke treatment capacity. The most specialized treatment is available in comprehensive stroke centers, followed by primary stroke centers, acute stroke-ready hospitals and community hospitals. The use of telemedicine now allows even community hospitals, with limited specialized capabilities, to care for stroke patients. Telemedicine connects hospital emergency personnel with neurologists who provide expertise in evaluating a stroke patient and determining their suitability for treatment with thrombolytic drugs (Jefferey, 2013). Ischemic Stroke A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association highlighted the importance of treatment initiation to time as a factor in patient clinical outcomes. The study also indicated that early treatment of ischemic stroke with intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) resulted in fewer deaths, intracranial hemorrhages, and an overall better prognosis for post-stroke patients (Saver et al ., 2012). The drug, also known as alteplase, is the only FDA-approved drug for acute ischemic stroke and is recommended for administration... center of article... Laleh, Petzold, Axel and Kitchen, Neil. (2003, October 1). Triple-H therapy in the management of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. The Lancet Neurology, 2(10), 614-620. doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(03)00531-3Talabucon, L. (n.d.). Potential complications after a stroke. Retrieved from https://www.healthxchange.com.sg/healthyliving/ManagingChronicIllnesses/Pages/Potential-Complications-After-a-Stroke.aspxThompson, GE, 2011. Venous thrombus and embolus. Retrieved from http://www.web md.com/dvt/venous-thrombus-and-embolus US National Library of Medicine (2013). Complete metabolic panel. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003468.htmVan Leeuwen, Anne M. & Poeljuis-Leth, Debra J. (2009) Davis's ComprehensiveHandbook of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests with Nursing Implications ( 3rd edition). Philadelphia: F. A. Davis Company.