People who have the most common type of stroke but receive a newly approved drug for it within three hours of their first symptoms show little or no signs of disability after three months, according to results of a study funded by the neurology institute at the National Institutes of Health. The researchers found that quick recognition and diagnosis of stroke signs and rapid administration of the clot-dissolving drug t-PA was absolutely essential. The Food and Drug Administration approved t-PA for stroke last June.

A stroke, also called a "brain attack," is usually the result of a disease process that worsens over many years. A stroke occurs when the brain is injured, either by a blood clot that blocks blood flow (ischemic stroke) or by bleeding (hemorrhagic stroke). When blood flow is cut off to parts of the brain, the brain is deprived of oxygen and other nutrients it needs to function properly. If blood flow is not restored, those parts of the brain begin to die, causing a variety of disabilities such as paralysis or loss of speech. Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability.

Each year in the United States, about 400,000 brain attacks are due to blood clots and 100,000 strokes are caused by bleeding into the brain. t-PA has already been used effectively in people with heart attacks. Now, after a five-year study of 600 patients nationwide, the drug is also available for people who have ischemic brain attacks as well. Those treated with the drug under very specific conditions were at least 30 percent more likely than untreated patients to survive their brain attack with little or no disability.

The researchers stressed that several important steps are essential to optimize recovery using t-PA, which is not without serious risks, including bleeding in the brain. Chiefly, doctors must carefully evaluate brain scans of people experiencing signs of stroke to choose only the appropriate patients to receive t-PA. Also, giving the drug after the three-hour "treatment window" could be more harmful than beneficial, since t-PA could easily result in a much higher rate of bleeding into the brain and worsen the brain injury. See t-PA Treatment for Acute Stroke

Average Time Until a Person with a Stroke
Reports to Doctor: 6-24 hours

Maximum t-PA Start Time: 3 hours

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Best Defense is Quick Response--Be Alert to Signs of a "Brain Attack"

Researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health have found a new treatment to lessen the impact of strokes, or "brain attacks." To be most effective, this treatment and others in the pipeline require rapid identification of stroke symptoms and immediate action by patients and emergency care specialists. If you have one or more of the following signs of a stroke, call a doctor or 911 right away!

Sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm, or leg on one side of the body.

Sudden dimness or loss of vision, particularly in one eye.

Sudden difficulty speaking or understanding speech.

Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

Unexplained dizziness, unsteadiness, or sudden falls, especially with any of the other signs.

Warning signs may last a few moments and then disappear. They are signs of a serious condition that won't go away without medical help.