Cerebral hemorrhagic risk of aspirin or heparin therapy with thrombolytic treatment in rabbits.
We studied the incidence of cerebral hemorrhage in an animal model of embolic stroke to determine the safety of aspirin, heparin, and tissue plasminogen activator therapies. We occluded the middle cerebral arteries of rabbits with labeled blood clots and administered either tissue plasminogen activator, heparin, aspirin, tissue plasminogen activator plus aspirin, tissue plasminogen activator plus heparin, or saline at various times after stroke. Compared to saline controls, both the aspirin-only and the tissue plasminogen activator-plus-aspirin groups had a significantly higher incidence of cerebral hemorrhage, whereas the heparin and tissue plasminogen activator combination groups did not. We conclude that aspirin antiplatelet therapy alone may increase the risk of hemorrhagic infarction, whereas heparin or tissue plasminogen activator therapy appears to be relatively safe.
Clark
W M
WM
Department of Neurology, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland.
Madden
K P
KP
Lyden
P D
PD
Zivin
J A
JA
D000818:Animals; D001241:Aspirin / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D006493:Heparin / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002542:Intracranial Embolism and Thrombosis / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology
D006493:Heparin; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator; D001241:Aspirin