Background: Cerebral ischaemia is potentially reversible during the first few hours. Monitoring of physiological variables such as temperature, blood pressure, heart rhythm, oxygen saturation and cerebral blood flow may be important for efficient treatment and reduction of the infarct volume.
Material and methods: This article is based on a review of relevant articles in international journals over the last 15 years on the pathophysiology of acute ischaemic stroke and treatment in intensive stroke units compared with conventional stroke units.
Results and discussion: Two pilot studies indicate that continuous monitoring in intensive stroke units improves outcome compared with conventional stroke units. Future studies must draw the balance between continuous monitoring and mobilization in the early phase of ischaemic stroke.