Stroke Association Statement on estimating weight of patients with acute stroke when dosing for Thrombolysis

Research reported in the press suggested that clinicians are poor at approximating the weight of patients with stroke when they are treated in an acute setting, it recommended that beds capable of weighing patients should be mandated in emergency rooms. 

Kate Holmes, Assistant Director of Research at the Stroke Association said:

“This study raises the importance of the critical 4.5h time window for treating patients after a stroke, when there are competing pressures for assessments in a busy A&E environment. However, although the research presents some evidence that the weight of patients is not always calculated accurately to ensure a correct treatment dose, they also say that the majority of patients (80%) received a dose within the acceptable range. Worse outcomes in heavier patients may be due to other problems and health conditions, rather than the amount of drug administered. More evidence would be needed to conclude that estimating the weight of patients leads to worse outcomes in people affected by stroke”