title: Diagnosis of reversible versus irreversible cerebral ischemia by the intravenous administration of naloxone.
abstract: Naloxone was given as an I.V. bolus of 0.8 mgs to four groups of patients with stroke: 1) 20 patients with C.T. proven cerebral infarcts of longer than 7 days duration; 2) 20 patients with acute cerebral ischemia of less than 24 hours; 3) 5 patients with C.T. proven intracerebral hemorrhage of less than 24 hours, and; 4) 3 patients with hyperacute cerebral ischemia which occurred during the performance of a cerebral angiogram. The patients with established cerebral infarctions of more than 7 days duration and the patients with intracerebral hematomas had no response to intravenous naloxone. Of 20 patients with acute cerebral ischemia of less than 24 hours duration, 7 had prompt, complete and long-lasting recovery. These patients had no subsequent evidence of cerebral infarct by C.T. scanner 48 hours after the onset of the cerebral ischemia and were asymptomatic when discharged. The 3 patients with hyperacute cerebral ischemia secondary to cerebral angiography had a dramatic response to the injection of naloxone. These findings suggest that intravenous naloxone may differentiate reversible versus irreversible cerebral ischemia.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000503:physiopathology; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009270:Naloxone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D009270:Naloxone