Acute ischemic stroke occurs when blood flow through a brain artery is blocked by a clot, a mass of thickened blood. Clots are either thrombotic or embolic, depending on where they develop within the body. A thrombotic stroke, the most common of the two, occurs when a clot forms within an artery in the brain.

Is acute ischemic stroke curable?

To cure an ischemic stroke, doctors must dissolve the blood clot through either drugs or surgery. Common drugs used to cure ischemic stroke include tPA or aspirin, which help thin the blood and dissolve the clot in the brain. When drugs cannot be used, doctors may need to manually remove the clot through surgery.

How do you manage acute ischemic stroke?

An IV injection of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) — also called alteplase (Activase) — is the gold standard treatment for ischemic stroke. An injection of tPA is usually given through a vein in the arm with the first three hours. Sometimes, tPA can be given up to 4.5 hours after stroke symptoms started.