Reader Response: Race-Ethnic Disparities in Rates of Declination of Thrombolysis for Stroke

Abstract

Using the Get With the Guidelines-Stroke registry, Mendelson et al.1 showed that 3.7% of patients with acute ischemic stroke decline intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), despite being eligible. The authors found significant racial differences in the tPA declination rates. Compared with non-Hispanic White patients, non-Hispanic Black patients were 21% more likely to decline tPA and Asian patients were 28% less likely.