Nearly 90 percent of the 700,000 strokes that affect U.S. patients each year are caused by a blockage of blood vessels supplying the brain, known as ischemic stroke.
A new study published in Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions, the official journal of The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), provides solid evidence of the effectiveness of catheter-based therapy (CBT) to remove blood clots in stroke patients. CBTs, which include stents and thrombectomy, may be used for ischemic stroke patients who arrive too late or have contraindications for intravenous thrombolysis, a drug treatment frequently used to break down blood clots.
Strokes are the third leading cause of death in the U.S. and the most common cause of adult disability. To be effective, intravenous thrombolysis must be administered less than three hours after the onset of stroke symptoms. Unfortunately, and despite efforts to educate the public on the warning signs of stroke and the need to seek treatment quickly, most patients arrive at the emergency room too late. It is estimated that less than 5 percent of patients are eligible for this treatment which has prompted interest in alternative therapies, like CBT, that restore blood flow.
CBT applies the same treatment model for identifying a blocked artery causing a heart attack to stroke therapy. It allows the physician to tailor the treatment based on the location and characteristics of the blockage. "We believe the individualized treatment that can be offered with this approach optimizes patient outcomes and minimizes risk," says Dr. Christopher J. White, co-author of the study.