Stroke Medication and Treatment

The third leading cause of death in the US is stroke. Stroke (brain attack) is the leading cause in the United States for rendering a person disabled. It is caused by either a blockage of the vessels of the brain, or by by a vessel bursting, secondary to hypertension.

Strokes are treated by IV medications or surgery to restore blood flow to the areas of the brain being deprived of oxygen rich blood. It is important to get medical treatment immediately in the event of a stoke, preferably within 3 hours. The longer a stroke goes untreated, the damage has a chance to extend, causing loss of function due to cell death.

Two types of blood clots are embolus and thrombus. The embolus is piece of a blood clot that broke off and travels to another part of the body. A thrombus forms inside the artery and does not travel.

Medications:

The role of medication is to restore blood flow to the cells. Some meds are used to dissolve clots, and others work to prevent cells from adhering to each other, resulting in the formation of a blood clot.

Tissue Plasminogen Activator ( tPA): Is a clot busting medication given through an IV line, administered within 3 hours of symptom of stroke onset. It works by breaking up the fibrin network that holds the clot together. It can only be given for strokes caused by blockage, and is used in emergency situations.

Antiplatelet Meds:

1. Aspirin


2. Aggrenox


3. Plavix

These medications stop platelet cells from sticking to each other to form blood clots. Aggrenox and Plavix can be used in place of aspirin. A side effect of these drugs is bleeding due to the lowered clotting ability of the blood.

Anticoagulants:

1. Heparin


2. Warfarin (Coumadin)

These medications are used to inhibit clots that originate in the heart from forming. Atrial fibrillation is a condition of rapid atrial contractions, leading to blood clot formation, which can cause an embolism to travel to another area of the body causing an infarct or stroke. A side effect of anticoagulants is the possibility of hemorrhage and bruising.

If you are taking anticoagulants, it is important to monitor your daily Vitamin K intake. This vitamin is found in varying amounts in green leafy vegetables, and vitamin and herbal supplements. Vitamin K is instrumental in blood clotting and could work against the actions of heparin and coumadin.

You can lower your risk for blood clots by keeping tabs on high cholesterol levels. Cholesterol forms plaque deposits in the arteries, which can lead to blood clot formation, resulting in stroke. Getting control of high blood pressure can help prevent strokes due to bleeding from ruptured arteries. Hypertension is a main risk factor for hemorrhagic stroke and should be closely monitored, as well as other chronic conditions that may exist in the body.

by Barb Hicks RN/LMT