Background: Pharmacological elevation of blood pressure in acute stroke due to large artery occlusion may enhance collateral blood flow and salvage penumbral tissue. The duration of viability of human penumbral tissue under such circumstances is unclear.
Objective: To describe a patient presenting with acute middle cerebral artery occlusion treated with induced hypertension who had prolonged survival of penumbral tissue with subsequent infarct extension after pressor agents were withdrawn.
Conclusions: Enhanced collateral flow by elevation of blood pressure may result in prolonged survival of the ischemic penumbra which remains dependent on persistent use of pressor agents.