Drugs for emergency treatment of stroke

The only FDA-approved medication for treatment of an acute ischemic stroke--the kind caused by blood clots that block blood flow to the brain--is a clot-dissolving medication known as a clotbuster. This thrombolytic agent (called tPA for "tissue plasminogen activator") is most effective if administered intravenously within the first three hours after a stroke, so it is extremely important for people experiencing symptoms to get prompt emergency treatment.

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New drugs, called neuroprotective agents, that may make the brain more resistant to damage from stroke are being tested in clinical trials at some medical centers.