3. Expanded window for acute stroke intervention
The six hours following a stroke were once considered the time period that intervention would be most effective at minimizing or preventing brain damage. However, recent research has shown that that window could be larger than what doctors originally thought, making an expanded window for acute stroke intervention a top innovation for 2019.
The American Heart Association and American Stroke Association recommended an increased treatment window in January this year, stating that clot removal can happen within 24 hours of a stroke, according to Dr. Shazam Hussain, director of the Cerebrovascular Center at the Cleveland Clinic.