Stroke drugs Flashcards
Clinical definition of stroke
Syndrome of rapid onset of cerebral defecit lasting more than 24 hours or leading to death with no apparent cause other than a vascular one.
What is a transient ischaemic attack/ mini-stroke?
Symptoms similar to stroke but doesn’t last long and full recovery can be made.
Possible causes of cerebral infarction?
Embolism from another site
Thrombosis causing occlusion in atheromatous carotid, verterbral or cerebral arteries.
How does a thromboembolic infarction occur?
A blood clot stops the flow of blood to an area of the brain depriving that part of oxygen.
How does an intercranial haemorrhage occur?
When weakened/diseased blood vessels rupture and blood leaks into the brain.
Evolution of ischaemic stroke
An occlusion ina a blood vessel interrupts the blood supply causing a cascade of neuronal events that lead to neurotoxicity.
What happens in neurotoxicity?
Irreversible cell death (necrosis), cerebral oedema and inflammation.
What is known as the bodys own “clot-buster” that breaks down fibrin?
Plasmin
What is alteplase? What does it treat? How does it work?
Treatment used in stroke, it is a fibrinolytic drug (recombinan tissue plasminogen activator) that activates plasminogen to make plasmin to break down fibrin (clot).
Key symptoms of stroke
Facial weakness, arm weakness, speech problems
What types of drugs are used in treating stroke?
Fibrinolytic drugs, anti-platelet drugs and anti-coagulant drugs.
What drug is used in conjunction with dipyridamole? How does this drug work?
Aspirin. It inhibits COX1 and prevents formation of thromboxane.
What is Dipyridamole? How does it work?
Antiplatelet drug used in treatment of stroke. Works by inhibiting thromboxane synthase and therefore prevents formation of thromboxane.
What is clopidogrel? How does it work?
Antiplatelet drug used to treat stroke. Works by preventing receptor expression.
What is abciximab? How does it work?
An antiplatelet drug used to treat stroke and works by preventing platelets linking to fibres.
