Most strokes - nearly 80 percent - are caused by a blockage that prevents blood flow to the brain. If a special clot-busting drug called t-PA can be administered within three hours of the onset of symptoms, that blockage can be dissolved, preventing brain damage and permanent disability.
Strict criteria must be met in order to use this
t-PA for stroke. The person and/or family members need to provide as
much information as possible about what symptoms the person had and
when they began to help determine whether giving it would be helpful.
Before you are given t-PA, the doctor will explain its risks and
benefits, as well as get a signed consent from you.
The drug is injected in a vein (intravenously, or IV) and in some cases
may be given directly into an artery. Anticoagulants or antiplatelets, such as
aspirin, should not be used for 24 hours after receiving t-PA.
Learn more about t-PA for stroke:
- How it works
- Why it is used
- How well it works
- Side Effects
- What to think about
- References
More advanced care is available at Sarasota
Memorial, the only hospital south of Tampa/Clearwater and north of Miami with a
specialized acute stroke team including a
Neurointerventional
Radiologist.
Neuorinterventional
Radiology is a relatively new but growing specialty that uses
minimally invasive procedures to diagnose and treat disorders of the
blood vessels of the spine, neck and head. Working closely with
neurologists and neurosurgeons, neurointerventional radiologists use
microcatheters, stents, balloons, and similar devices to
diagnose/treat aneurysm, vascular formations, clots, strokes, etc.
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