May Prevent Damage from Brain Attacks UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas is testing a new drug that could prevent some of the worst brain damage caused by stroke. Physicians at UT Southwestern and 59 other medical centers are evaluating recombinant prourokinase for ischemic stroke when it is administered within six hours of the stroke's onset. Ischemic stroke results when a blood clot blocks blood flow to the brain, cutting off oxygen. The new drug is administered through a catheter at the site of the clot. Strokes, or brain attacks, are the third-leading cause of death in the United States and the leading cause of disability.
Physicians believe immediate medical attention can greatly reduce the negative impact of strokes.
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