Injecting Clot-Busting Drug TPA Directly Into Blocked Brain Arteries Arrests Stroke

Wednesday, January 22, 2003

Injection of clot-busting drug TPA (tissue plasminogen activator) directly into clogged arteries in the brain of a patient having a stroke saves the patient's life and prevents major disability. The injection is given by inserting a micro-catheter into the femoral artery in the patient's groin and guiding it through the body into the affected artery in the brain. TPA must be administered within the first three hours of onset of a stroke to be effective, so stroke symptoms must be recognized and treated as a medical emergency by the patient and family.

When given by injection, rather than intravenously, TPA hits clots in an undiluted form. The clots can be broken up quickly, reducing the amount of time brain cells are without oxygen which is paramount to minimizing brain damage. Once the clot is dissolved, blood flow returns to the affected part of the brain.

A specialized stroke team at Mayo Clinic Hospital which is designated as a Primary Stroke Center led by Bart M. Demaerschalk, M.D., Mayo Clinic stroke neurologist, and supported by specialists in emergency medicine, neuroradiology, critical care, and neurosurgery, performs this procedure.

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted by clot or by a ruptured artery resulting in brain tissue being deprived of oxygen and nutrients. Within minutes, brain cells begin to die. Prompt treatment could mean the difference between life and death and can also minimize damage to the brain and potential disability.

In the United States, stroke is the third leading cause of death and the leading cause of adult disability. Only cardiovascular disease and cancer cause more deaths annually. Every year about 750,000 Americans experience a stroke and about 160,000 of these people die.

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