Clot-busting therapy helps stroke victims—but only if they get treatment in time

Stroke is a “brain attack” causing a blockage of blood to the brain that can lead to damage of the brain. It is like a blocked pipe under the sink that prevents water from going down the drain. A patient who has a stroke will typically develop weakness, numbness, or speech problems. (More information about stroke can be found on the next page.)Thrombolytic therapy is the injection of a medication—tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)—that breaks up a blood clot (“clot buster”). tPA can be injected with a needle into a vein (intravenous [IV]), an artery (intra-arterial [IA]), or both (IV/IA)—one after the other. It is like liquid “Draino” for the blocked sink (figure).Figure. Cartoon of a blocked artery in the brain that will cause a stroke if the blood clot that is blocking the blood to the brain is not removed/broken up. IV tPA travels in the blood throughout the body and can attack the blood clot. IA tPA is given through a catheter (straw) right where the clot is. IV tPA must be given very early after a stroke by a neurologist, emergency room physician, or other physician specifically trained in stroke. It is given within 3 hours after the first appearance of the stroke. IA tPA can be given up to 6 hours after the stroke has occurred under x-ray guidance to the blood vessels to the brain …