Late thrombectomy for ischaemic stroke

Patients with ischaemic stroke tend to delay seeking professional help compared with patients with acute myocardial infarction with ST elevation (STEMI). Moreover, for patients with STEMI, a diagnosis of ongoing ischaemia can be made with an electrocardiogram in the ambulance. The situation is vastly different for a patient who has had a stroke. Those with cortical infarcts—the case for most patients—are often not aware of their acute deficit, or they cannot communicate because of language problems.