What You Should Know About Stroke

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Stroke Treatment

Time is of the essence when treating a stroke.

3 Hours After Stroke
Treatment: Clot-busting drugs known as thrombolytics (drugs that improve blood flow) are the first line of treatment for ischemic stroke. Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is the most commonly used of these clot-busting drugs.

How It Works: Administered intravenously, the drug dissolves blood clots, which restores proper blood flow to the brain, reducing the risk of permanent disability.

Limitation: Must be used within three hours of a stroke. Any longer and the risk of uncontrolled bleeding outweighs the benefits gained.

If clot busters don’t work, some hospitals now have surgical devices that can draw out a clot.

8 Hours After Stroke
Treatment: Concentric Clot Retrieval System

How It Works: A catheter is inserted through an artery in the leg and threaded to the brain to pull out and break up the clot. It can be used in conjunction with tPA.

In the case of hemorrhagic stroke, surgery is almost always required to repair the ruptured vessel.

If you have a choice in treating stroke, choose a hospital that is a certified stroke center. If it is not, the medical team may not be able to do things like administer clot-busting drugs around the clock. You can locate the stroke centers near you by going to the National Stroke Association’s Web site at stroke.org and clicking on Emergency Stroke Center Locations.