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type=\u0022text\/css\u0022 rel=\u0022stylesheet\u0022 href=\u0022\/\/d282kpwvnogo5m.cloudfront.net\/sites\/default\/files\/cdn\/css\/http\/css_Xg7z6oCTVgud_Q0huYz9x9iiD5H_2YPSJ5z2ZViSWdY.css\u0022 media=\u0022all\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Clink rel=\u0027stylesheet\u0027 type=\u0027text\/css\u0027 href=\u0027\/sites\/all\/modules\/contrib\/panels\/plugins\/layouts\/onecol\/onecol.css\u0027 \/\u003E\u003C\/head\u003E\u003Cbody\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022panels-ajax-tab-panel panels-ajax-tab-panel-sageoa-tab-art\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022panel-display panel-1col clearfix\u0022 \u003E\n  \u003Cdiv class=\u0022panel-panel panel-col\u0022\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022panel-pane pane-highwire-markup\u0022 \u003E\n  \n      \n  \n  \u003Cdiv class=\u0022pane-content\u0022\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022highwire-markup\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv xmlns=\u0022http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xhtml\u0022 id=\u0022content-block-markup\u0022 xmlns:xhtml=\u0022http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xhtml\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022article fulltext-view \u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022highwire-journal-article-marker-start\u0022\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022section abstract\u0022 id=\u0022abstract-1\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ESummary\u003C\/h2\u003E\n            \u003Cp id=\u0022p-1\u0022\u003EThis article presents data demonstrating how legal issues influence the treatment of stroke, including fear of malpractice lawsuits depresses the use of certain drugs, as well as the necessity for detailed documentation.\u003C\/p\u003E\n         \u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cul class=\u0022kwd-group\u0022\u003E\u003Cli class=\u0022kwd\u0022\u003Ecerebrovascular disease\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022section\u0022 id=\u0022sec-1\u0022\u003E\n         \n         \u003Cp id=\u0022p-2\u0022\u003EJustin Zivin, MD, PhD, University of California, San Diego, CA, presented data demonstrating how legal issues influence the treatment of stroke. Recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) is a well-known FDA-approved thrombolytic treatment. It is estimated that only 4%\u20138% of acute ischemic stroke patients receive rt-PA, when up to 40%\u201350% of patients could derive benefit from the drug. In Dr. Zivin\u0027s opinion, fear of malpractice lawsuits depresses the use of this drug. The literature and regulatory approvals support the idea that rt-PA is a valid therapy for acute ischemic stroke. In a recent re-analysis of the NINDS rt-PA trial, \u201cnone of the bad outcomes was increased by rt-PA,\u201d said Dr. Zivin (\u003Ca id=\u0022xref-fig-1-1\u0022 class=\u0022xref-fig\u0022 href=\u0022#F1\u0022\u003EFigure 1\u003C\/a\u003E). Demaerschalk (\u003Cem\u003EStroke\u003C\/em\u003E 2007) estimated the likelihood of being helped to being harmed (LHH) by rt-PA to be approximately 10. In other words, rt-PA therapy would be 10 times more likely to help a patient with acute ischemic stroke than to harm them.\u003C\/p\u003E\n         \u003Cdiv id=\u0022F1\u0022 class=\u0022fig pos-float  odd\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022highwire-figure\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022fig-inline-img-wrapper\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022fig-inline-img\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/d282kpwvnogo5m.cloudfront.net\/content\/spmdc\/8\/1\/27.2\/F1.large.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=600\u0026amp;carousel=1\u0022 title=\u0022NINDS rt-PA Trial.\u0022 class=\u0022fragment-images colorbox-load\u0022 rel=\u0022gallery-fragment-images-219999471\u0022 data-figure-caption=\u0022NINDS rt-PA Trial.\u0022 data-icon-position=\u0022\u0022 data-hide-link-title=\u00220\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg class=\u0022fragment-image\u0022 alt=\u0022Figure 1.\u0022 src=\u0022http:\/\/d282kpwvnogo5m.cloudfront.net\/content\/spmdc\/8\/1\/27.2\/F1.medium.gif\u0022\/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cul class=\u0022highwire-figure-links inline\u0022\u003E\u003Cli class=\u00220 first\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/d282kpwvnogo5m.cloudfront.net\/content\/spmdc\/8\/1\/27.2\/F1.large.jpg?download=true\u0022 class=\u0022highwire-figure-link highwire-figure-link-download\u0022 title=\u0022Download Figure 1.\u0022 data-icon-position=\u0022\u0022 data-hide-link-title=\u00220\u0022\u003EDownload figure\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli class=\u00221\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/d282kpwvnogo5m.cloudfront.net\/content\/spmdc\/8\/1\/27.2\/F1.large.jpg\u0022 class=\u0022highwire-figure-link highwire-figure-link-newtab\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 data-icon-position=\u0022\u0022 data-hide-link-title=\u00220\u0022\u003EOpen in new tab\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli class=\u00222 last\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022\/highwire\/powerpoint\/11005\u0022 class=\u0022highwire-figure-link highwire-figure-link-ppt\u0022 data-icon-position=\u0022\u0022 data-hide-link-title=\u00220\u0022\u003EDownload powerpoint\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022fig-caption\u0022 xmlns:xhtml=\u0022http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xhtml\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022fig-label\u0022\u003EFigure 1.\u003C\/span\u003E \n               \u003Cp id=\u0022p-3\u0022 class=\u0022first-child\u0022\u003ENINDS rt-PA Trial.\u003C\/p\u003E\n            \u003Cdiv class=\u0022sb-div caption-clear\u0022\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n         \u003Cp id=\u0022p-4\u0022\u003EThese findings have not always translated into clinical practice. A survey conducted by the American College of Emergency Physicians indicated that 40% of emergency room doctors were unlikely to use rt-PA under ideal conditions (Brown et al. \u003Cem\u003EAnn Emerg Med\u003C\/em\u003E 2005). When asked why, 65% cited concerns about intracerebral hemorrhage, 23% said due to lack of efficacy, and 12% replied that both reasons contributed to their decision. Ironically, the decision not to use rt-PA has resulted in more lawsuits than lawsuits that have been filed due to harm caused by using the drug (Bambauer et al. \u003Cem\u003EAnn Neurol\u003C\/em\u003E 2006). \u201cMany physicians believe that \u2018to do no harm\u2019 is a good strategy to avoid malpractice suits. What they fail to realize under those circumstances is that to fail to treat, to decide not to do something, is a decision. Failure to treat with rt-PA is more likely to result in adverse legal decisions,\u201d said Dr. Zivin.\u003C\/p\u003E\n         \u003Cp id=\u0022p-5\u0022\u003EWhat can physicians do in this increasingly litigious environment? According to Michael Weintraub, MD, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, detailed documentation is absolutely critical. Legibly documenting time of symptom onset, time of diagnosis, time of workup completion, and rationale for using or not using rt-PA is particularly important. \u201cPoor medical records can suggest negligence to the jury,\u201d noted Dr. Weintraub. John P. Conomy, MD, JD, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, offered additional advice. Because patients often turn to the internet to educate themselves, physicians need to be aware of this and step up their efforts to educate patients. Physicians should also educate themselves about the legal issues they face. \u201cAttorneys know a great deal about a great many things. Physicians as a group know very little about law, because they\u0027ve been taught very little about law. I think it belongs in the curricula of medical schools, at least in an introductory way,\u201d summarized Dr. Conomy.\u003C\/p\u003E\n      \u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cul class=\u0022copyright-statement\u0022\u003E\u003Cli class=\u0022fn\u0022 id=\u0022copyright-statement-1\u0022\u003E\u00a9 2008 MD Conference Express\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022highwire-journal-article-marker-end\u0022\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan id=\u0022related-urls\u0022\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/mdc.sagepub.com\/content\/8\/1\/27.2.abstract\u0022 class=\u0022hw-link hw-link-article-abstract\u0022 data-icon-position=\u0022\u0022 data-hide-link-title=\u00220\u0022\u003EView Summary\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n  \n  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cscript type=\u0022text\/javascript\u0022 src=\u0022http:\/\/mdc.sagepub.com\/sites\/all\/modules\/highwire\/highwire\/plugins\/highwire_markup_process\/js\/highwire_figures.js?nzmhn2\u0022\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\n\u003Cscript type=\u0022text\/javascript\u0022 src=\u0022http:\/\/mdc.sagepub.com\/sites\/all\/modules\/highwire\/highwire\/plugins\/highwire_markup_process\/js\/highwire_openurl.js?nzmhn2\u0022\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\n\u003C\/body\u003E\u003C\/html\u003E"}