Ischemic stroke patients who got medicine to break up a blood clot within 3 hours after symptoms started

This measure is used to assess the percentage of acute ischemic stroke patients 18 years of age and older who arrive at the hospital within 120 minutes (2 hours) of time last known well and for whom intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (IV r-TPA or t-PA) was initiated at this hospital within 180 minutes (3 hours) of time last known well.

--Author: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services/The Joint Commission