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Telestroke: Delivery and Design

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Thrombolytic Therapy for Acute Stroke

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Abstract

The time-dependent nature of acute stroke treatment, coupled with overall low rates of rt-PA use, has spurred efforts to facilitate stroke evaluation and management. Telemedicine for stroke (“telestroke”) is one such proposed method that is gaining popularity, especially as a means to maximize appropriate rt-PA use. In this chapter we review the need and evidence for telestroke, and describe its application in various settings, from the prehospital setting to the clinical trial. Practical concerns regarding implementation are addressed as well, including network fundamentals, technologic considerations, and practice models. Barriers and limitations to the use of telestroke are also discussed. Telestroke is a feasible and promising method for disseminating stroke expertise and optimizing the treatment of stroke patients in otherwise underserved areas.

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Disclosures

Grant Funding: This work was supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (P50NS044148).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosciences, UCSD School of Medicine, 200 W. Arbor Drive, MON 3rd Floor, Suite 3, San Diego, CA, 92103, USA

    Konrad H. Schlick M.D.

  2. UCSD Stroke Center, UC San Diego Health Sciences, San Diego, CA, USA

    Brett C. Meyer M.D.

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  1. Konrad H. Schlick M.D.
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Correspondence to Brett C. Meyer M.D. .

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  1. Stroke Program, Department of Neurology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA

    Patrick D Lyden

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Schlick, K.H., Meyer, B.C. (2015). Telestroke: Delivery and Design. In: Lyden, P. (eds) Thrombolytic Therapy for Acute Stroke. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07575-4_11

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