RESUMO
Stroke is the second cause of death and the first cause of disability with an important economical cost. Thrombolysis and stroke units are the major contribution to stroke treatment of the last years changing a nihilist therapeutic attitude towards an active attitude, stroke is a medical emergency. Treatment with rtPA has shown to be effective in the first 3 hours following stroke and the FDA and the European Medical Agency (EMEA) have approved its use. A protocolised management of the acute phase to treat physiological complications is the mainstone of stroke units showing a reduction in mortality and disability. Multiple strategies are under development in order to treat more patients, drugs with a longer therapeutic window, intravenous thrombolysis followed by intrarterial thrombolysis, selection of patients with mismatch with new neuroimaging techniques and neuroprotective therapies. Preventive treatment has also experienced a change due to a better knowledge of the ethiopathogeny, the role of vascular risk factors and the development of new preventive drugs. Knowledge of cerebrovascular diseases is today's clue for the best treatment of our patients.