Public release date: 20-Jun-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Anna Borthwick Anna.Borthwick@ed.ac.uk 44-131-651-6514 University of Edinburgh
Patients given a clot-busting drug within six hours of a stroke are more likely to have a long-lasting recovery than those who do not receive the treatment, new research has found.
A study of more than 3000 patients reviewed the effects of the drug rt-PA, which is given intravenously to patients who have suffered an ischaemic stroke.
The international trial, led by the University of Edinburgh, found that 18 months after being treated with the drug, more stroke survivors were able to look after themselves.
Patients who received rt-PA had fewer long-term problems with self-care and mobility, and experienced less pain and discomfort than those who did not.
Treatment also reduced the number of patients who needed help from other people from 51 per cent to 43 per cent.
An ischaemic stroke happens when the brain's blood supply is interrupted by a blood clot. The damage caused can be permanent or fatal. Stroke symptoms include paralysis down one side and speech problems.
The study, published in The Lancet Neurology, builds on the world's largest ever trial of the drug, which was published last year. It found that treatment with rt-PA improved health for stroke survivors up to six months following an ischaemic stroke.
This latest results from the trial show the quality of life of stroke patients 18 months after receiving rt-PA. It involved stroke patients in 12 countries between 2000 and 2011 half of whom were treated with intravenous rt-PA and half of whom were not.
See more here:
Clot-buster trial reveals long-term benefits for stroke patients