What do systematic reviews say?

Calcium antagonists vs placebo

Calcium antagonists showed no clear difference in death or dependency at end of compared with placebo (moderate certainty).

• Calcium antagonists for acute ischemic stroke 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.05 [0.98, 1.13]
  22 studies · 6684 participants
  Moderate

Flunarizine vs placebo

Flunarizine showed no clear difference in death or dependency at end of compared with placebo (low certainty).

• Calcium antagonists for acute ischemic stroke 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.81 [0.34, 1.94]
  2 studies · 357 participants
  Low

Isradipine vs placebo

Isradipine showed no clear difference in death or dependency at end of compared with placebo (low certainty).

• Calcium antagonists for acute ischemic stroke 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.01 [0.74, 1.4]
  1 study · 234 participants
  Low

Other calcium antagonists vs placebo

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Calcium antagonists for acute ischemic stroke 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Nimodipine vs placebo

Nimodipine showed no clear difference in death or dependency at end of compared with placebo (moderate certainty).

• Calcium antagonists for acute ischemic stroke 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.06 [0.97, 1.14]
  19 studies · 6093 participants
  Moderate

Acupuncture vs all control (sham and open)

It is very uncertain whether acupuncture changes death or dependency at end of compared with all control (sham and open) (very low certainty).

• Acupuncture for acute stroke 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.61 [0.46, 0.79]
  11 studies · 1582 participants
  Very low
• Acupuncture for acute stroke 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.67 [0.53, 0.85]
  8 studies · 1436 participants
  Very low

Acupuncture vs sham control

Acupuncture showed no clear difference in death or dependency at end of compared with sham control (low certainty).

• Acupuncture for acute stroke 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.67 [0.4, 1.12]
  3 studies · 244 participants
  Low
• Acupuncture for acute stroke 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.71 [0.43, 1.18]
  4 studies · 262 participants
  Low

Chlormethiazole vs placebo

Chlormethiazole showed no clear difference in death or dependency compared with placebo (moderate certainty).

• Gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor agonists for acute stroke 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.03 [0.96, 1.11]
  4 studies · 2909 participants
  Moderate

Diazepam vs placebo

Diazepam showed no clear difference in death or dependency compared with placebo (moderate certainty).

• Gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor agonists for acute stroke 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.94 [0.82, 1.07]
  1 study · 849 participants
  Moderate

RIC vs non‐RIC

• Remote ischaemic conditioning for preventing and treating ischaemic stroke 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 292 participants
  GRADE not reported

RIC vs non‐RIC treating ischaemic stroke

RIC may leads to higher death or dependency compared with non‐RIC treating ischaemic stroke (low certainty).

• Remote ischaemic conditioning for preventing and treating ischaemic stroke 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 2.34 [1.19, 4.61]
  1 study · 285 participants
  Low

Swallowing therapy vs placebo

Swallowing therapy showed no clear difference in death or dependency at end of trial compared with placebo (moderate certainty).

• Swallowing therapy for dysphagia in acute and subacute stroke 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 1.05 [0.63, 1.75]
  2 studies · 306 participants
  Moderate

Induced hypertension vs placebo or no intervention

It is very uncertain whether induced hypertension changes death or dependency (primary outcome) compared with placebo or no intervention (very low certainty).

• Interventions for altering blood pressure in people with acute subarachnoid haemorrhage 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.29 [0.78, 2.13]
  2 studies · 61 participants
  Very low

Lowered blood pressure vs placebo

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for altering blood pressure in people with acute subarachnoid haemorrhage 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Intervention not reported

The intervention probably leads to lower death or dependency at end of scheduled (moderate certainty).

• Early supported discharge services for people with acute stroke 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.8 [0.67, 0.95]
  16 studies · 2359 participants
  Moderate

Stroke ward vs general medical ward

Stroke ward probably leads to lower death or dependency by the end of scheduled compared with general medical ward (moderate certainty).

• Organised inpatient (stroke unit) care for stroke: network meta‐analysis 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.75 [0.64, 0.88]
  12 studies · 2839 participants
  Moderate

Mobile stroke team vs general medical ward

Mobile stroke team showed no clear difference in death or dependency by the end of scheduled compared with general medical ward (low certainty).

• Organised inpatient (stroke unit) care for stroke: network meta‐analysis 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.8 [0.52, 1.22]
  2 studies · 438 participants
  Low

Mixed rehabilitation ward vs general medical ward

Mixed rehabilitation ward may leads to lower death or dependency by the end of scheduled compared with general medical ward (low certainty).

• Organised inpatient (stroke unit) care for stroke: network meta‐analysis 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.65 [0.47, 0.9]
  6 studies · 630 participants
  Low

Organised inpatient (stroke unit) care vs alternative service

Organised inpatient (stroke unit) care probably leads to lower death or dependency by the end of scheduled compared with alternative service (moderate certainty).

• Organised inpatient (stroke unit) care for stroke: network meta‐analysis 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.75 [0.66, 0.85]
  24 studies · 4854 participants
  Moderate

Intervention not reported

The intervention showed no clear difference in death or dependency at the end of the scheduled (low certainty).

• Puerarin for ischaemic stroke 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.75 [0.38, 1.37]
  2 studies · 164 participants
  Low