THROMBOLYTIC THERAPY - FROM MYOCARDIAL TO CEREBRAL INFARCTION

Thrombolysis is proposed for the acute treatment of cerebral infarctio n as it is able to recanalize occluded arteries and thus potentially r estore normal perfusion of the cerebral parenchyma, but the results co ncerning the efficacy of this treatment are still inconclusive. Howeve r, it has been fully demonstrated that thrombolytic treatment, leads t o a significant reduction in mortality, in patients with acute myocard ial infarction. Data from all of the pilot studies using SK or tPA tre atment in acute stroke are described in this review, which underlines the incidence of hemorrhagic transformation (hemorrhagic infart and pa renchymal hematoma) and its possible correlation to clinical worsening . Pharmacological, experimental and clinical studies encourage the car rying out of large-scale clinical trials using thrombolytics in patien ts with acute cerebral infarction. Significant data relating to ongoin g controlled clinical trials will be available in the near future; onl y after the analysis of these results will it be possible to confirm t he efficacy of thrombolytics in acute stroke.