SEE PROFILE

ISCHAEMIC STROKE results from a transient or per-manent reduction in cerebral blood flow that is restricted to the territory of a major brain artery. The reduction in flow is, in most cases, caused by the occlu-sion of a cerebral artery either by an embolus or by local thrombosis. With an incidence of approximately 250–400 in 100 000 and a mortality rate of around 30%, stroke remains the third leading cause of death in indus-trialized countries. In the USA alone, four-million sur-vivors are coping with its debilitating consequences1. Major breakthroughs in stroke pathophysiology have prompted a world-wide campaign to enlighten patients about the early symptoms of stroke (the ‘brain attack’ campaign). In conjunction with these efforts, positive results were reported for the first time in a major clini-cal trial2. At the same time, however, numerous dru