Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and the leading cause of
serious, long-term disability. Patients who sustain a sudden ischemic stroke can benefit from
the administration of intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA). rt-PA
may reduce disability, yet few patients arrive in emergency departments in time to be eligible
for rt-PA administration. The purpose of this study was to discover factors that influence
patients' decision-making process when seeking treatment for acute-stroke symptoms …