Thrombolysis: A Critical First-Line Therapy with an Unfulfilled Potential

A blood clot or thrombus triggers the onset of most vascular diseases, like stroke or heart attack. Thrombolysis is the only treatment that can restore blood flow rapidly and easily. Unfortunately, the standard thrombolytic, tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), has proven inadequate and is being replaced by invasive endovascular procedures, which are time consuming and limited in their availability in relation to the scope of the problem. Historically, when tPA clinical trials began, it was not recognized sufficiently that without the other natural plasminogen activator, prourokinase (proUK), thrombolysis by tPA was seriously compromised.
Source: The American Journal of Medicine - Category: Journals (General) Authors: Tags: Review Source Type: research