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FOR STROKE PATIENTS
New Treatment for Ischemic Stroke
Interventional treatment of stroke, while relatively new, has profound implications for patient care. The combination of pharmaceutical agents (clot busters and others) with mechanical techniques (catheters, etc.) for clot removal of blocked blood vessels in the brain may open the door to truly revolutionary means of treating acute stroke. We now know that fibrinolytic eradication of intracranial thrombus can have a significantly positive effect on clinical outcome for emergency stroke therapy. Furthermore, direct interventional stroke therapy has been shown to most likely double the time available to treat patients compared to current therapies utilizing only intravenous drugs. For these reasons, data collected on patients undergoing catheter directed endovascular therapy and submitted to INSTOR™ for analysis will contribute valuable information to the advancement of comprehensive stroke care.
Current Treatment for Ischemic Stroke
(See Frequently Asked Questions for additional information)
The current standard for treating ischemic stroke is intravenous use of a thrombolytic agent, sometimes referred to as "clot-busting" drug. To work best, the drug must be administered within three hours of the onset of symptoms. Only about 2-3% of stroke patients are eligible for this form of treatment within this time window, which leads us to two conclusions:
- It is critical that you know and recognize stroke symptoms quickly!
- Interventional treatment (the combination of drugs and catheter-directed delivery of these drugs) extends the time window for treatment and would be a significant advancement for stroke patients.
New Treatment for Intracranial Atherosclerosis
Intracranial angioplasty and stent placement, while relatively new, have profound implications for patient care. Reopening the narrowed arteries supplying the brain may significantly reduce the risk of a stroke, even when compared with the best medical therapy. However, how long will the benefits last, when is the best time to treat the narrowing, what are the best medications to give afterwards, and other questions have not been fully answered. For these reasons, data collected on patients undergoing intracranial angioplasty (with or without stent placement) and submitted to INTRASTOR™ for analysis will contribute valuable information to the advancement of comprehensive treatment for intracranial atherosclerosis.
Current Treatment for Intracranial Atherosclerosis
(See Frequently Asked Questions for additional information)
In the past, patients who were found to have intracranial atherosclerosis (usually because they suffered a stroke or transient ischemic attack or TIA), were treated with medications to keep blood clots from forming at the site of the narrowing and causing blockage of the artery. In addition, other conditions that are known to be associated with atherosclerosis anywhere in the body (such as diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity) were treated. This is still the treatment that most patients receive, either because they are not good candidates for angioplasty or because this procedure is not available at their hospital.
Know the Warning Signs
Learn to recognize the warning signs of stroke:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
- Sudden trouble seeing with one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
If you experience any of these symptoms, call 9-1-1 immediately!
Physicians say "Time lost is brain lost!" Act immediately for the best chance at recovery and to avoid severe disability.
To learn more about who treats stroke and endovascular therapy, click on the designated links.
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