Stroke is a disease that affects the arteries leading to and within the brain. It is theNo. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts (or ruptures). is the number no 5 cause of death In the acute phase of treatment drugs can be administered that minimize damage to the brain. Clot dissolvers, such as thrombolytic agents, are most effective when used within three hours of a thrombotic or an embolic stroke. There also are new treatments in the pipeline: Clinical trials are underway on several drugs designed to protect brain tissues after a stroke occurs. Further, preliminary studies with techniques that chill the brain have shown that inducing hypothermia may reduce stroke damage.
Clot-busting therapy reduces mortality in deadliest form of stroke
The drug Alteplase, a tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, cleared blood that pooled in the brains of people with intraventricular hemorrhage, reducing death rates by 10 percent and nearly doubled the likelihood of a more functional recovery, researchers reported at the 2016 International Stroke Conference.
Phase-3 clinical trial results demonstrate first effective treatment for severe type of bleeding stroke-- February 18, 2016. See Reference 3.
Ambien -- Stroke recovery in mice improved by Ambien, study shows-Zolpidem, better known by the trade name Ambien, increased the rate at which mice that had strokes recovered their pre-stroke sensory acuity and motor coordination.- see Reference 5.
Intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) remains the only level 1A treatment for acute ischemic stroke. It is the only FDA approved treatment for ischemic strokes is tissue , (given through an IV in the arm). tPA works by dissolving the clot and improving blood flow to the part of the brain being deprived of blood flow. If administered within 3 hours(and up to 4.5 hours in certain eligible patients), tPA may improve the chances of recovering from a stroke. A significant number of stroke victims don't get to the hospital in time for tPA treatment; this is why it's so important to identify a stroke immediately.
Magnetic nanoparticles could stop blood clot-caused strokes ---By loading magnetic nanoparticles with drugs and dressing them in biochemical camouflage, researchers say they can destroy blood clots 100 to 1,000 times faster than a commonly used clot-busting technique. See Reference 3.
Readings and References
2-Clot-busting therapy reduces mortality in deadliest form of stroke
3-Magnetic nanoparticles could stop blood clot-caused strokes
4-Thrombolytic Therapy in Stroke
5-Stroke recovery in mice improved by Ambien