ASLS Advanced Stroke Life Support is an 8-hour curriculum that addresses the prehospital, emergency department, and inpatient hospital management of patients with acute stroke, incorporating interactive discussions, hands-on workshops, video cases, and standardized patient simulations.
Thrombolytic therapy (clot-dissolving medicines) is used to treat clots in the blood vessels that cause most strokes. The drugs work by releasing the protein that normally breaks down clots in your body. Thrombolytics are most effective when given within three hours of the first symptoms of stroke.
Advanced Stroke Life Support (ASLS) is a specialized training program designed to equip healthcare professionals with the essential skills and knowledge needed to recognize, assess, and manage stroke patients in the critical early stages of their care. Developed by the University of Miami, ASLS has become a cornerstone in stroke education, focusing on enhancing the capabilities of medical personnel to provide prompt and effective treatment, thereby improving patient outcomes.
If you have a stroke caused by a clot in one of your blood vessels that delivers oxygen-rich blood to the brain (ischemic stroke), thrombolytic treatment can help limit permanent damage and disability. The most common drug used to treat these clots is tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA. In some people, tPA works well and restores normal blood flow. In others, it is not as effective and may have complications such as bleeding. The decision to give tPA or another clot-dissolving medicine is based on the type of stroke you have and whether your blood vessel is blocked or damaged by the clot.
A clot can also block blood flow to the heart and cause a heart attack (ST elevation myocardial infarction). Large trials have shown that if you receive a clot-dissolving drug at the time of your heart attack, it can reduce death and disability. The clot-dissolving drug restores blood flow to the heart in most people who have a heart attack. It can also reduce the amount of damage to the heart muscle. The decision to give you a clot-dissolving medication is based on many factors, including the severity of your symptoms and the results of tests done during your ambulance ride.
Thrombolytic therapy is usually given through a thin plastic tube that is inserted into a vein, typically in the groin, neck, or behind the knee. Medicine is infused into the bloodstream and directly to the clot through this tube. This treatment is called intravenous thrombolysis. Some clots are too large to dissolve with a thrombolytic drug alone. In these cases, a specialized treatment called mechanical clot removal may be needed. This involves a procedure in which a catheter is inserted into a blood vessel at the hospital and a machine is used to break up or suction the clot from the artery. You will need to stay in the hospital for a few days after receiving this treatment.
