What is tPA?

When dealing with a stroke the most important thing to recognize is that every minute now counts.   Consider someone has turned over the hour-glass but in this case it would be the three-hour-glass.   Yes, that is the time that you need to be at the hospital from first symptom in order to even qualify for a drugged called tPA.   The full-name is Tissue Plasminogen Activator.

tPA is an aggressive blood thinning medication which attacks blood clots.   It is called a thrombolytic agent or more commonly referred to as the“CLOT BUSTER.”   It is normally administered intravenous or through an IV.   Before the patient can receive the medication, they need to be qualified.

Qualifications are:

• Type of stroke
• High Blood Pressure
• CT Scan showing that you do not have bleeding on the brain
• Cannot already be on blood thinners (like Warfarin)

tPA was first approved by FDA in 1996 to treat ischemic strokes.  The majority of strokes are ischemic (approximately 8 out of 10).   This is where there is a clot preventing blood from getting to a portion of the brain.   This blockage, if not treated, will cause brain cell death.   The primary goal of tPA is to dissolve the clot in the brain as quickly as possible so the stroke survivor has a better chance for successful recovery.

tPA cannot be used if the patient is experiencing a hemorrhagic stroke.  This is where there is bleeding on the brain.   The CT Scan or MRI are taken of the head and neck to confirm whether there is bleeding on the brain.

Once qualified, the patient is notified about the risks in using tPA.  Primary risk is bleeding.   Monitoring in the ICU is required for 24 hours post given the drug.   About 1 in 16 will experience any complications.

From an effectiveness,  20 percent are more likely to recover from their stroke than people who do not receive tPA.   That is, 1 in every 5 patients given the medication will significantly benefit from it.  I’m a testament to the benefits of tPA.  Saturday of the stroke had complete left-side paralysis and Sunday morning was walking myself to the bathroom.    We always preach “time is of the essence” and make sure to “get to the hospital as quickly as possible” but it cannot be stressed enough just how important it is to your recovery.   tPA was a miracle drug for my stroke.