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You are in: Home > Stroke Information > Your Stroke Journey > Acute Phase > Medical Treatment

Medical Treatment

How your stroke is treated depends on:

• What type of stroke you have had
• Any other medical conditions you may have
• The results of your brain scan

Your treatment may involve:

• Thrombolysis – 'clot busting' treatment
• Antiplatelets – 'blood thinning' treatment
• Other drug treatment

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Thrombolysis – 'clot busting' treatment

'Clot busting' drugs are often used to treat people with heart attacks.

Thrombolysis treatment in stroke can be used under certain circumstances to dissolve a clot. This treatment is not appropriate if your stroke has been caused by a bleed.

'Clot busting' drugs have to be givenin hospital within 4.5 hours of (stroke) symptoms starting.The drugs are given through a drip into your arm and you will be closely observed for 24 hours afterwards.

• Thrombolysis is not suitable for everybody. Your doctors will consider if this is the best treatment for you.
• What are the benefits and risks of thrombolysis treatment?
  It can improve the blood supply to your brain and reduce both the effects of the stroke and the level of disability for some people.
  Overall, more people may get better with thrombolysis treatment. About one person in ten (10%) treated with thrombolysis will make a better recovery than expected. However, because thrombolysis dissolves blood clots there is a risk of bleeding for the first day or so after treatment. For a small number of people, about 1 in 20 (5%), bleeding in the brain could make the stroke worse or even be fatal.

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Antiplatelets – blood thinning treatment

Most people who have not had a bleed will start taking aspirin (300mg) within 48 hours for at least 14 days.

Aspirin is a type of drug called an antiplatelet. It is used to thin the blood to help prevent clots forming.

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Other drug treatment

These drugs are commonly given after a stroke and are mainly to do with reducing your risk of another stroke. If you have difficulty swallowing then you can get your medicines in other forms.

• Antiplatelets: used to thin the blood to help prevent clots forming.
  If you have had an ischaemic stroke then you may continue with a combination of low dose aspirin (75mg daily) and dipyridamole (200mg modified release twice daily).
  Clopidogrel (75mg daily) can be used as an alternative if aspirin, or aspirin and dipyridamole, can't be tolerated due to allergy / sensitivity.
• Statins: used to lower cholesterol.
  If you have had an ischaemic stroke then you may be given statins even if your cholesterol is not high. If you are already taking statins then you should continue with your treatment.
• Anticoagulants: used to prevent blood clots from forming. Warfarin may be given if you have had an ischaemic stroke and are found to be in atrial fibrillation.
• Antihypertensives: used to control high blood pressure.
  ACE inhibitors and diuretics may be given if you have had an ischaemic stroke, even if your blood pressure is not raised. If you have had a bleed (haemorrhagic stroke) then treatment with ace inhibitors and diuretics should also be considered if your blood pressure is raised.

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