A new drug treatment, Tenecteplase, has been shown to have similar outcomes in limiting the damage done in the brain after a stroke compared with current treatments. Crucially however, it is also far easier to administer and may also be safer.
The study, funded by the Stroke Association, showed that incidences of serious adverse events did not differ between the two groups and all neurological and radiological outcomes were similar, despite by chance there being slightly more very severe strokes in the Tenecteplase group. The results also revealed that potentially fewer people had a brain haemorrhage as a complication of treatment with Tenecteplase.
Researchers believe that, as Tenecteplase can be given more easily than Alteplase, it could become a less expensive and easier to administer treatment for ischaemic stroke patients; a larger clinical trial will be needed in the to test Tenecteplase fully, and plans for such a trial are at an advanced stage.
Professor Muir said: “Every minute is crucial in treating stroke and we need better treatment options. Any treatment that is easier to deliver and potentially safer could mean the difference between a good recovery and someone suffering seriously debilitating long term effects.
“We are planning a larger scale trial to investigate these results further.”
Dr Dale Webb, Director of Research and Information at the Stroke Association, said: “The brain damage caused by a stroke can leave people facing a devastating level of disability. Currently, our only tool to treat ischaemic stroke, caused by a blockage of an artery in the brain, is thrombolysis. This type of treatment benefits around one in seven people treated. There is only one drug licensed for thrombolysis, which is Alteplase.
“This important research investigating an alternative to Alteplase could pave the way for an improvement in thrombolysis. A more effective way to deliver clot-busting treatment to stroke patients could be life-changing; when stroke strikes, time saved is brain saved.”