Complications associated with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator therapy for acute ischaemic stroke.

Complications associated with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator therapy for acute ischaemic stroke. CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets. 2013 Feb 4; Authors: Balami JS, Sutherland BA, Buchan AM Abstract Intravenous recombinant human tissue plasminogen activato (rtPA, formulated as alteplase) is the primary therapy for acute ischaemic stroke by breaking down a clot of an occluded vessel. There are several randomised controlled trials and observational studies that support the use of rtPA to improve functional outcome following acute ischaemic stroke. However, thrombolytic therapy with rtPA can be associated with a number of complications. Many of the rtPA-related complications result from its thrombolytic action including bleeding (intracerebral and systemic haemorrhage), reperfusion injury with oedema, and angioedema. Other rtPA complications such as reocclusion and secondary embolisation are related to ineffective thrombolysis or redistribution of the lysed clot. In addition to its thrombolytic properties, rtPA can act upon the brain parenchyma leading to seizures and neurotoxicity. Many of these complications have been reported in both pre-clinical experiments and in clinical trials. In animal studies, these complications of rtPA can confound the experimental results achieved, and have to be taken into account in future experiments. In the clinical setting, these complications are not always life-threatening, but can be serious and often l...
Source: CNS and Neurological Disorders Drug Targets - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Tags: CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets Source Type: research