Thrombolytics for Heart Attack and Stroke
Thrombolytics for Heart Attack and StrokeSkip to the navigationTopic Overview Thrombolytics are medicines that rapidly dissolve a blood clot. They are used when a blood clot causes an emergency, such as a heart attack or stroke. These clot-busting medicines help blood to flow normally again. Thrombolytics are used as soon as possible after a heart attack or stroke. These medicines are used in the hospital. They are
typically given through a vein in the hand or arm. One example of this medicine is tissue plasminogen activator (TPA). These medicines can greatly increase the
risk of bleeding, so they are used only in very specific situations where the
risk of bleeding can be balanced against the risks of not dissolving the blood
clot rapidly. ReferencesOther Works Consulted- Amsterdam EA, et al. (2014). 2014 AHA/ACC Guideline for the management of patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes. Circulation, 130(25): e344-e426. DOI: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000134. Accessed October 24, 2014.
- Jauch EC, et al. (2013) Guidelines for the early management of patients with acute ischemic stroke. A guideline for healthcare professionals from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Stroke, 44(3): 870-947. DOI: 10.1161/STR.0b013e318284056a. Accessed April 2, 2016.
- O'Gara PT, et al. (2013). 2013 ACCF/AHA guideline for the management of ST-elevation myocardial infarction: Executive summary. A report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. Circulation, 127(4): e362-e425.
CreditsByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical ReviewerE. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical ReviewerJeffrey S. Ginsberg, MD - Hematology Current as ofJune 4, 2016 Current as of:
June 4, 2016 Last modified on: 8 September 2017
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