The Ischemic Penumbra and the Therapeutic Time Window

Two key concepts for developing effective therapy for acute stroke are 1) what ischémic tissue is the therapeutic target; and 2) when is this tissue likely to respond? The portion of the ischemic zone potentially responsive to therapy is called the ischemic penumbra and the time during which it might be reversibly injured is the therapeutic time window. These intertwined concepts of a potentially reversible ischemic region and when it might respond to a variety of therapeutic interventions are the foundation of current ongoing efforts to develop effective acute stroke therapies. Potentially salvageable ischemic tissue is the presumed therapeutic target for both thrombolytic and neuroprotective stroke therapy, and the time period of potentially successful treatment is a key issue for patient recruitment. Consideration of both concepts is clearly important for researchers and clinicians interested in focal brain ischemia. Major advances have occurred during the past several years. These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.