Social History Matters-The Impact of Illicit Drug Use on tPA Use and In-Hospital Mortality in Acute Ischemic Stroke.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

The objective of this descriptive study was to compare time to medical evaluation, intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV tPA) use, and short-term outcomes in illicit drug users compared to non-users presenting with acute ischemic stroke (AIS).

Study design

This is a retrospective study performed from our stroke registry using deidentified patient information.

Place and duration of study

Tulane Medical Center Primary Stroke Center (PSC). Consecutive AIS patients presenting to our PSC from July 2008 to December of 2010 were identified from our prospectively collected stroke registry.

Methodology

Patients were categorized as toxicology positive (TP) or toxicology negative (TN). We compared baseline characteristics, clinical presentation, tPA use, and s

SUBMITTER: Marx MH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4245033 | biostudies-literature | 2014 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature