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Lack of consensus among stroke experts on the optimal blood pressure target of acute ischemic stroke: evidence from a national survey

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: INTRODUCTION: There remains a lack of consensus among physicians regarding the blood pressure (BP) management strategy for acute ischemic stroke patients; this study sought to determine current practice patterns and extension of consensus among stroke physicians after publications of several randomized controlled trials (RCTs). METHODS: An online survey of stroke clinicians registered to the Oriental Conference of Interventional Neurovascology (OCIN) platform and Enhanced Control of Hypertension and Thrombectomy Stroke Study (ENCHANTED2/MT) trail collaborators was conducted to investigate the BP management strategy after mechanical thrombectomy (MT). The survey was sent out in March 2024, extracted within 1 month, and then analyzed comprehensively using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: A total of 351 available responses were collected and analyzed. These participants mostly come from tertiary-level hospitals (90.6%) in 31 provinces in China. During MT, the most popular a BP target was 140-160 mm Hg (36.5%, 128/351) and 120-140 mm Hg (26.8%, 94/351). For patients achieved successful reperfusion, those who achieved expanded treatment in cerebral infarction (eTICI) 3 were expected to maintain BP target of 120-140 mm Hg (56.7%, 199/351) or <120 mm Hg (27.1%, 95/351), while eTICI 2b were wished to 120-140 mm Hg (45.3%, 159/351) or 140-160 mm Hg (38.5%, 135/351). For patients who achieved unsuccessful reperfusion, the most selected BP target was 140-160 mm Hg (40.7%, 143/351). In brief, clinical doctors from China with different experiences have different views on the goals of BP management. CONCLUSIONS: The survey highlights inter-institutional variability among stroke experts regarding the optimal BP target for acute ischemic stroke. While a majority of institutions have established standardized protocols for post-MT BP management, further prospective randomized trials are warranted to determine the optimal BP target.

Source: Cerebrovascular Diseases

DOI: 10.1159/000543043