title: Platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonists for acute ischemic stroke.
abstract: Although thrombolytic therapy is approved in several countries for treatment of ischemic stroke, only a small number of patients are eligible for treatment. Additional agents that could restore or improve cerebral flow are needed. Reperfusion agents such as platelet glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa antagonists, alone or in combination with reduced doses of thrombolytic agents, have the potential for improving safety and efficacy compared with standard recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA). In addition, GP IIb/IIIa antagonists may permit expansion beyond the current 3-hour window after symptom onset that is used for rt-PA. On the basis of experience in acute coronary syndromes, parenteral GP IIb/IIIa antagonists may have potential applications in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke and as adjunctive therapy to carotid angioplasty.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bogousslavsky
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Leclerc
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology; D020521:Stroke / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex