Blood PREssure Augmentation in Large-vessel Occlusion Stroke Study

The trial is planned to include 40 subjects with acute LVO stroke who meet the eligibility criteria. In stage 1 of the study, the investigators will monitor beat-to-beat blood pressure and other hemodynamic parameters in 20 patients receiving standard of care therapy. For the second stage, the investigators will enroll an additional 20 patients who will receive blood pressure augmentation therapy using intravenous fluids and phenylephrine or norepinephrine infusion. The investigators will increase baseline systolic blood pressure by 20% to at least 160 mmHg until blood vessel recanalization is achieved or the thrombectomy procedure is completed. The study will assess how quickly a target blood pressure can be reached in the acute stroke setting, and furthermore the ability to successfully maintain these blood pressure targets throughout the intervention and avoid hypotension during conscious sedation or general anesthesia. The primary research hypothesis of the trial is that treatment failure defined as an inability to achieve and maintain blood pressure targets despite the use of maximum tolerable doses of vasopressors (phenylephrine or norepinephrine) occurs in less than 20% of cases. In addition, the study will evaluate the recruitment feasibility and preliminary safety of blood pressure augmentation.