Although there is currently no generally accepted consensus on the management of acute ischaemic stroke, several organisations are working towards producing guidelines for this disease. A major step in ensuring the rapid presentation and treatment of sufferers would be to promote stroke as a medical emergency, especially, since early thrombolytic therapy has been shown to be the first successful treatment of stroke. Public and professional education would also raise the profile of this condition and improve knowledge of the stages of treatment. The instigation of stroke units, teams or even stroke pathways would offer optimal patient care and provide the facilities necessary for effective diagnosis and management. Increasing patient and physician awareness of stroke and encouraging prompt patient referral to such units may mean that patients are best placed to receive early treatment with the neuroprotective agents currently in the late stages of clinical evaluation.