The Role of Informed Consent for Thrombolysis in Acute Ischemic Stroke.

The Role of Informed Consent for Thrombolysis in Acute Ischemic Stroke. J Clin Ethics. 2019;30(4):338-346 Authors: Comer AR, Damush TM, Torke AM, Williams LS Abstract Although tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is the only medication approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for acute ischemic stroke, there is no consensus about the need for informed consent for its use. As a result, hospitals throughout the U.S. have varying requirements regarding obtaining informed consent from patients for the use of tPA, ranging from no requirement for informed consent to a requirement for verbal or written informed consent. We conducted a study to (1) determine current beliefs about obtaining patients' informed consent for tPA among a large group of stroke clinicians and (2) identify the ethical, clinical, and organizational factors that influence tPA consent practices. Semi-structured interviews were conducted by trained and experienced investigators and research staff to identify key barriers to implementing acute stroke services. Part of the interview explored current beliefs and practices around informed consent for tPA. This was a multicenter study that included 38 Veterans Health Administration (VHA) hospital locations. Participants were 68 stroke team clinicians, serving primarily on the neurology (35 percent) or emergency medicine (41 percent) service. We conducted thematic analysis based on principles of grounded ...
Source: Journal of Clinical Ethics - Category: Medical Ethics Tags: J Clin Ethics Source Type: research