Stroke thrombolysis in the very elderly

Acute ischaemic stroke is common in older people and is associated with a higher morbidity and mortality compared with younger patients. Intravenous thrombolysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (r-tPA) has become the mainstay of treatment and is the only evidence-based specific treatment for acute ischaemic stroke. However, little data are available on the safety of thrombolysis in the over-80 years age group due to under-representation of this group in trials and the upper age limit for licensing of the drug. In this review, we look at the pathophysiology of stroke and recent advances in neuroimaging techniques. We also look at the evidence base for use of thrombolysis in stroke and in particular analyse the trials that include the very elderly as subjects. Finally, issues around ongoing trials and future research are discussed.