What is in the future for stroke treatment?

Currently, studies are being done on additional drugs that dissolve clots. These drugs are administered either in the veins (like TPA) or directly into the clogged artery. The goal of these studies is to determine which stroke patients might benefit from this new and aggressive form of treatment.

New medications are also being tested that help slow the degeneration of the nerve cells that are deprived of oxygen during a stroke. These drugs are referred to as "neuroprotective" agents, an example of which is sipatrigine. Another example is chlormethiazole, which works by modifying the expression of genes within the brain. (Genes produce proteins that determine an individual's makeup.)

Finally, stem cells, which have the potential to develop into a variety of different organs, are being used to try to replace brain cells damaged by a previous stroke. In many academic medical centers, some of these experimental agents may be offered in the setting of a clinical trial. While new therapies for the treatment of patients after a stroke are on the horizon, they are not yet perfect and may not restore complete function to a stroke victim.

Stroke At A Glance

• Stroke is the sudden death of brain cells due to lack of oxygen.
  
  
• Stroke is caused by the blockage of blood flow or rupture of an artery to the brain.
  
  
• Sudden tingling, weakness, or paralysis on one side of the body or difficulty with balance, speaking, swallowing, or vision can be a symptom of a stroke.
  
  
• Any person suspected of having a stroke or TIA should present for emergency care immediately
  
  
• Clot-busting drugs like TPA can be used to reverse a stroke, but the time frame for their use is very narrow. Patients need to present for care as soon as possible so that TPA therapy can be considered.
  
  
• Stroke prevention involves minimizing risk factors, such as controlling high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, tobacco abuse, and diabetes.

References: Johnston SC, Nguyen-Huynh MN, Schwarz ME, Fuller K, Williams CE, Josephson SA, Hankey GJ, Hart RG, Levine SR, Biller J, Brown RD Jr, Sacco RL, Kappelle LJ, Koudstaal PJ, Bogousslavsky J, Caplan LR, van Gijn J, Algra A, Rothwell PM, Adams HP, Albers GW.; "National Stroke Association guidelines for the management of transient ischemic attacks." Ann Neurol. 2006 Sep;60(3):301-13. "Primary prevention of ischemic stroke: a guideline from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Stroke Council: cosponsored by the Atherosclerotic Peripheral Vascular Disease Interdisciplinary Working Group; Cardiovascular Nursing Council; Clinical Cardiology Council; Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism Council; and the Quality of Care and Outcomes Research Interdisciplinary Working Group: the American Academy of Neurology affirms the value of this guideline." Stroke. 2006 Jun;37(6):1583-633. Epub 2006 May 4. Liferidge AT, Brice JH, Overby BA, Evenson KR. "Ability of laypersons to use the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale." Prehosp Emerg Care. 2004 Oct-Dec:8(4):384-7.

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