Stroke Treatment Outcomes at NYU Langone

Doctors at NYU Langone’s Comprehensive Stroke Center act quickly after diagnosing a stroke. Within four and a half hours of the first symptoms, people who have a blood clot in an artery supplying blood to the brain may receive a clot-busting medication, also known as thrombolytic therapy. This is administered through a vein. Our experts from NYU Langone’s Tisch Hospital, NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn, and NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island can also begin more advanced treatment, such as removal of a brain clot, as needed.

Learn more about stroke treatment and outcomes at NYU Langone, which is certified by The Joint Commission as a Comprehensive Stroke Center.

Rate of Treatment with Thrombolytic Therapy

More people are treated with thrombolytic therapy at NYU Langone when compared with other hospitals as a whole in New York State and other hospitals that are certified as comprehensive stroke centers by The Joint Commission.

Time to Treatment with Thrombolytic Therapy

For every minute the brain is deprived of blood due to a blockage, 2 million brain cells are lost. Therefore, it is best for patients to receive thrombolytic therapy as quickly as possible—ideally less than 60 minutes after arriving at the emergency room. The average time to treatment for patients at NYU Langone is 35 minutes.

Time to Treatment with Clot Retrieval

Several randomized trials have demonstrated improved neurological outcomes when patients receive thrombolytic therapy in combination with a clot retrieval procedure, in which the clot that is blocking blood flow to the brain is removed. This is done using a series of catheters that are inserted into an artery with X-ray guidance.

It is best to start treatment as soon as possible—ideally less than 90 minutes after arriving at the emergency room. The median time to treatment, meaning an artery is punctured to begin the clot retrieval, at NYU Langone is 71 minutes.

Restoration of Blood Flow from a Blockage

Successfully removing a blood clot through clot retrieval restores blood flow to the brain. Clinical trials have shown that patients who have blood flow restored have better outcomes and less disability after a stroke.

NYU Langone experts have successfully restored blood flow in more patients when compared with other hospitals in  New York State as a whole, and other hospitals certified as comprehensive stroke centers by The Joint Commission.