Acute Stroke Thrombolysis Guideline

This stroke thrombolysis guideline is intended to guide clinicians when planning stroke thrombolysis with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (Alteplase). [NB: this template has been developed by the NZ National Thrombolysis Working Group, requires local adaptation, and can be used as a guideline or converted into a pathway by adding tick boxes and patient sticker areas].

Thrombolysis should be considered in patients with acute stroke symptoms arriving within 3.5 hours (treat IV within 4.5 hrs) of symptom onset. Alteplase CANNOT be substituted with any other fibrinolytic agents, including other forms of recombinant tPA.