Stroke Treatment

Treatments for stroke vary, depending on the type.

• Ischemic strokes (caused by arteries being blocked in the brain) are treated by removing an obstruction and restoring blood flow to the brain.
• Hemorrhagic strokes (caused by blood leaking into the brain from ruptured vessels) are treated by medical and surgical management of complications.

Ischemic Stroke

 Acute Treatment

• Clot-busters, e.g., tPA: Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is an FDA-approved clot-busting drug which must be administered within a three-hour window from the onset of stroke symptoms. tPA is considered the most promising treatment for ischemic stroke, however, only 3 to 5 percent of stroke sufferers typically reach the hospital in time to be considered for this treatment.
• Interventional Neuroradiology: Interventional Neuroradiology, also know as intra-arterial thrombolysis, is a minimally invasive technique in which doctors use imaging equipment to see inside the body. Doctors insert a thin catheter into a blood vessel in the upper leg. The catheter is guided through the blood vessels in the body to the site of the blockage in the brain. tPA, a blood thinner, is then delivered to dissolve the blockage and restore blood flow. For more information on interventional neuroradiology, click here.

Preventative Treatment

• Anticoagulants/Antiplatelets: Aspirin (an antiplatelet agent) and warfarin (an anticoagulant) interfere with the blood's ability to clot and can play an important role in preventing stroke.
• Carotid Endarterectomy: Blood vessel blockage may be surgically removed from the carotid artery through a procedure called carotid endarterectomy.
• Angioplasty/Stents: Balloon angioplasty and implantable screens called stents are sometimes used to treat cardiovascular disease and remedy fatty buildup clogging the vessel.

Hemorrhagic Stroke

• Surgical Intervention: Surgical treatment is often recommended to either place a metal clip at the base of the aneurysm (called the neck) or to remove the abnormal vessels that make up an arteriovenous malformation (AVM). Surgery may also be necessary to remove the blood from the brain, depending on the location of the bleed.
• Endovascular Procedures (Ex: Coils): Less invasive than other procedures, endovascular procedures involve the use of a catheter set up through a major artery in the leg or arm. The catheter is guided to the aneurysm or AVM where a medical device, such as a coil, is deployed.