CTVNews.ca Staff Published Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012 6:35PM EDT Last Updated Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012 8:32PM EDT
A Canadian-made drug may decrease the risk of stroke by making the brain more resilient to a lack of oxygen, according to a new study.
The study showed that patients who were given the drug NA-1 saw significantly fewer brain lesions following brain surgery -- which carries a risk of stroke -- compared to a placebo group.
Researchers also found that the drug was safe, with just two incidents of low blood pressure in the group that received the treatment.
The findings were published Sunday in the international journal The Lancet Neurology.
Lead study author Michael Hill of the University of Calgarys Hotchkiss Brain Institute of Canada, said NA-1 provided brain surgery patients with tissue neuroprotection, meaning brain cells were protected during surgery, when there is restricted blood flow to the brain.
He said the drug was shown to reduce tissue damage in patients who suffered small strokes after operations to repair brain aneurysms.
Its a major unmet need in stroke treatment, Hill said in a news release.
Dr. Markku Kaste of Helsinki University Central Hospital in Finland said the drug could be particularly useful in low-income countries where many patients do not have access to medical supervision after suffering a stroke.
According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, there are more than 50,000 strokes in Canada each year and 40 per cent of patients are left with moderate to severe impairments.
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Canadian-made drug may protect brain from stroke: study