Induced Hypertension for Acute Ischemic Stroke

This is a multicenter, pilot clinical trial. The primary outcome variables will be the presence or absence of improvement in NIHSS during treatment with induced hypertension and the number of adverse events. The secondary outcome variables will be final infarct size on MRI at 1 month and Barthel Index and Modified Rankin Scale at 3 months. All patients fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria and who are willing to participate will receive intervention to induce hypertension, including intravenous saline, phenylephrine (neosynephrine) or levophed, and possibly oral midodrine. Blood pressure will be increased to a maximum mean arterial pressure (MAP) that is 30% above the baseline MAP as measured in the emergency department. The acute phase of the study will last for 3-5 days (for responders) and all patients will be followed up at 1 and 3 months post stroke onset. All patients will undergo neurologic, cognitive, and physical examinations as well as serial MRI studies with diffusion and perfusion-weighted imaging. Primary hypotheses will be measured using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and MRI. Improvement following induced hypertension will be measured by comparing NIHSS performed at multiple time points throughout the study. The ability to predict diffusion-perfusion mismatch will be determined by comparing MRI #1 and MRI #2. NIHSS and MRI will also be compared to determine if NIHSS correlates with reperfusion area on MRI. The secondary hypothesis of improved long-term outcome will be measured using the Barthel Index, the modified Rankin Scale, and MRI/Flair at 1 and 3 months post stroke symptom onset.