TPA Useful if Administered Properly
May 20, 2001
According to a recent Gallup poll, 17 percent of Americans over the age of 50 cannot identify the symptoms of a stroke. This is disturbing news, as failing to recognize stroke symptoms can delay important treatments and lead to permanent damage. The symptoms of stroke include, but are not limited to, numbness or weakness on one side of the body, sudden vision problems, loss of balance, trouble speaking, confusion, or severe unexplained headaches. Studies have shown that when a patient has one or more of these symptoms they often dismiss them or call their primary care physician to make an appointment for a later date. Other times, when patients do seek emergency treatment, they often encounter poorly equipped and overcrowded hospitals, sometimes having to wait several hours to get treatment.
A stroke occurs when the supply of blood to the brain is interrupted. Such interruption is usually caused by a blood clot (ischemic stroke). Brain cells begin to die just minutes after such a clot occurs. Almost 160,000 people die from strokes each year and another 400,000 experience permanent disability. Many experts believe that hospitals do not treat strokes with a sense of urgency. As such, the death and disability rate associated with stroke is higher than it should be.
At one time, doctors and other healthcare professionals believed that strokes were almost always fatal, and therefore, by the time the patient got to the hospital, there was little the medical staff could do. That all changed when TPA was introduced in 1996. TPA, tissue plasminogen activator, offers doctors a new opportunity to treat stroke victims. TPA breaks up blood clots, and if given within three hours of the first signs of stroke, it can often save lives and lessen the possibility of permanent disability.
Despite the fact that TPA saves lives, many doctors are still not using it. In fact, only 2 - 3 % of stroke victims receive the drug, when statistics show that 40% of stroke victims are good candidates for TPA. Some doctors are hesitant to administer TPA because it can cause brain hemorrhaging in some patients. A test must be given prior to TPA administration to determine whether or not a patient might be susceptible to such a brain hemorrhage. In addition, if TPA is not given within three hours of the onset of stroke symptoms, there is a substantially higher chance of hemorrhaging.
Most healthcare professionals believe that doctors and patients need to be more aware of the warning signs of stroke. In an effort to educate the public, some doctors would like to change the name of stroke to "brain attack," a phrase that carries a more serious connotation. In addition, The Journal of the American Medical Association is calling on hospitals to create more emergency stroke centers.
Currently, researchers are trying to determine if TPA can be effective if given after the three-hour window. Researchers believe that by creating a longer time period, many more lives can be saved and the chance of severe disability lessened. Until that time, patients must seek immediate medical attention when they believe they are experiencing a stroke. In addition, hospitals must continue to train doctors in the use of TPA.
-- Article Courtesy of InjuryBoard.com
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