If the 3 hour time window can be met treatment can be beneficial irrespective of patient's age, gender, ethnicity, or presumed cause of stroke.
Treatment can be beneficial for persons with a wide spectrum of neurological deficits.
The administration of thrombolytic drugs to persons with acute ischemic stroke can be complicated by bleeding even if the drug is given within 3 hours. The risk of intracranial hemorrhage in persons with acute ischemic stroke is much greater than the risk of bleeding in persons who receive thrombolytic drugs for the management of myocardial ischemia. Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage was significantly increased with treatment but despite the hemorrhages, the rate of death or severe disability was less in the actively treated groups. The benefit of intravenous t-PA for acute ischemic stroke beyond 3 hours from the onset of symptoms is not established and cannot be recommended. Intravenous t-PA is not recommended when the time of onset of stroke can not be ascertained reliably, including strokes recognized upon awakening.