Diabetes and Stroke Treatment
Diabetes and Stroke Treatment
September 11, 2008
John A. Seibel, MD
WebMD
What Is the Treatment for Stroke?
One FDA-approved treatment for ischemic stroke is a clot buster drug called tPA. This drug must be given within the first three hours after stroke symptoms begin for it to work. This drug dissolves the clot that has clogged an artery and can reestablish blood flow to brain tissue. Also, there are several new and experimental drugs that may stop -- and even reverse -- the brain damage if administered immediately after a stroke.
Another option is carotid endarterectomy, or surgical removal of the plaque from inside the carotid artery (the artery that supplies much of the blood to the brain).
A less invasive treatment is a carotid angioplasty and stenting procedure, which may be appropriate for some patients who have blockages within the carotid arteries. This involves inserting a deflated balloon into the artery, inflating it to expand the artery walls and then inserting a mesh structure (stent) to hold the artery open.
Angioplasty of the cerebral arteries can also be performed.
The FDA has approved another technology, the Merci Retrieval System, which can remove the blood clot up to 8 hours after the stroke.
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