Published in the journal, Lancet Neurology, a new study suggests that understanding stroke severity, as well as time to treatment, is key to delivering effective and safe thrombolysis treatment.
Currently, a drug called alteplase is used in thrombolysis, but the researchers think that another drug, called tenecteplase, may be more effective than alteplase.
This study will investigate whether reducing blood pressure can stop bleeding in the brain after thrombolysis (a clot-busting treatment for stroke) and improve patient's outcomes.
Exploring the effects of lowering blood pressure and a lower dose of clot busting drug on stroke outcome
PRESS RELEASE - Issued by University of Leicester Press Office on Tuesday 10 May
University of Leicester involved in the international ENCHANTED trial to improve survival rates of stroke victims. Stroke Association funds UK arm of the trial.
A panel of independent experts has decided that alteplase, a clot-busting drug often used to treat strokes is safe and effective under current guidelines.
Find out about the different treatments available to combat a stroke, including thrombolysis and thrombectomy.
The aim of this programme is to develop and test a new care pathway for paramedics to recognise the patients who are likely to have a large artery blockage, so that this group can be taken directly to the thrombectomy hospital.
MR CLEAN is a Dutch trial that investigated treatment of a severe form of ischaemic stroke (blockage type stroke) with thrombolysis alone (dissolving a clot with clot-busting drugs), versus treatment with both thrombolysis.
If mechanical clot-removal devices can improve the rates of opening arteries, it may be possible to avoid bad outcomes in patients with large artery strokes.