Treatment for an ischemic stroke focuses on either dissolving or removing the clot blocking blood flow to your brain.
A clot-dissolving medication known as tPA is effective in reducing or preventing damage to your brain tissue by dissolving the blood clot and improving blood flow back into the affected area. University Hospital’s rates for using tPA are above the national average, which means more people have been able to take advantage of this time-sensitive treatment.
Another, newer treatment is available called mechanical thrombectomy. This method involves removing blood clots entirely from the brain, and may be performed for patients with ischemic strokes occurring in a large vessel.
Although a TIA results in the symptoms of a stroke and no lasting damage, according to the American Heart Association, you’re 10 times more likely to have another stroke than someone of the same age and gender who hasn’t had a TIA. As a “warning” stroke, a TIA is an opportunity to prevent a future stroke.
Once our specialists determine the cause of the transient ischemic attack, treatment focuses on correcting the cause, usually with medication to reduce blood clotting, or with a minimally invasive procedure to open blocked arteries.