Thrombolytic and Antithrombotic Therapy in Acute Ischemic Stroke. Multicenter Acute Stroke Trial — Italy (MAST-I)

Stroke is a major cause of death and disability, and it consumes a large proportion of health resources. Numerous treatments have been suggested for acute ischemic stroke but so far none has been shown to be effective in large randomized controlled trials. Thrombolytic treatment, which is so effective in acute myocardial infarction, has been evaluated in numerous individual stroke patients and some small pilot studies. Its efficacy now needs to be tested in a large multicenter trial.