Targeting the ischemic cascade: Review on approved and investigational stroke therapies.

Ischemic stroke persists as a preeminent global health burden, ranking among the foremost causes of both mortality and long-term disability worldwide. This significant disease burden underscores its critical status within international public health priorities. To comprehensively address this challenge, this review adopts an epidemiological lens, systematically examining the underlying pathogenesis of ischemic stroke, evaluating contemporary clinical intervention strategies spanning prevention to acute care and rehabilitation, and critically appraising recent advances in therapeutic pharmacology. Furthermore, the review explores promising future therapeutic directions, including the ongoing quest for novel pharmacological agents and the translational potential of regenerative medicine. Collectively, this review aims to provide insights to inform evidence-based clinical decision-making while simultaneously stimulating innovative research pathways in novel pharmacotherapy development and its effective translation into clinical practice.