Every second counts when you suffer a stroke.
"One side of the body doesn't work. They can't speak. They can't see," Arthur M. Pancioli, MD FACEP, Professor and Chairman in the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine said.
Most strokes are caused by a blood clot that blocks the flow of blood to the brain. If you get help within three hours, you can get a drug called TPA, but Dr. Pancioli, an expert in emergency medicine, warns of the risks.
"With that drug, one in about 16 patients that you treat will have bleeding into the brain," Dr. Pancioli said.
Dr. George Shaw and researchers at the University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine are testing a breakthrough technique to dissolve human blood clots more quickly, without the risk of bleeding.
They're using a natural enzyme called plasmin.
"It's the most effective therapy we've ever looked at," George J. Shaw, MD, PhD, Emergency Medicine Associate Professor, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine said.
The plasmin is loaded into a special bubble called a liposome. Through an IV, they send it directly to the blood Clot.
"We pop that bubble with an ultrasound pulse and release the plasmin right where you want it," Dr. Shaw said. "I think it's going to be a major step forward for stroke therapy."
And it could be a major breakthrough for the millions of people who suffer a stroke.
As with TPA, doctors would still need to give the plasmin within three hours of the onset of stroke. Clinical trials with plasmin could start in five years.
If you would like more information, please contact:
Katy Cosse Public Information Officer University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center Public Relations and Communications (513) 558-0207 kathryn.cosse@uc.edu HealthNews.uc.edu
