Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology pp 1–2Cite as

Thrombolysis

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:

  • 17 Accesses

Synonyms

Clot busting; Fibrinolysis

Definition

Thrombolysis is the breakdown or “lysis” of blood clots, usually induced by using pharmacological agents.

Current Knowledge

Its actions occur by stimulating a component of the body’s inherent natural clot breakdown mechanism known as “fibrinolysis” normally caused by the enzyme plasmin. This process is implemented by infusing into the body, usually intravenously, drugs that mimic tissue plasminogen activator, the protein that normally and naturally activates plasmin. The most frequently studied and commonly used drug used to activate plasmin, thereby causing fibrinolysis and breaking down thrombi, is recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rTPA). This medication (commonly called a “clot buster”) is used during the acute phase to treat ischemic stroke but has been found to be effective only when administered within the first few hours following onset of stroke. It breaks the thrombus that occludes the vessel causing the stroke and thereby...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

References

  • Hacke, W., Kaste, M., Bluhmki, E., Brozman, M., Davalos, A., Guidetti, D., Larrue, V., Less, K. R., Medeghri, Z., Machnig, T., Schneider, D., von Kummer, R., Wahlgren, N., Toni, D., et al. (2008). Thrombolysis with Alteplase 3 to 4.5 hours after acute ischemic stroke. New England Journal of Medicine, 359, 1317–1329.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Powers, W. J., Rabinstein, A. A., Ackerson, T., Adeoye, O. M., Bambakidis, N. C., Becker, K., Biller, J., Brown, M., Demaerschalk, B. M., Hoh, B., Jauch, E. C., Kidwell, C. S., Leslie-Mazwi, T. M., Ovbiagele, B., Scott, P. A., Sheth, K. N., Southerland, A. M., Summers, D. V., Tirschwell, D. L., & on behalf of the American Heart Association Stroke Council. (2018). 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. 2018, 49, eXXX–eXXX. https://doi.org/10.1161/STR.0000000000000158.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wardlaw, J. M., Murray, V., Berge, E., & Del Zoppo, G. J. (2014). Thrombolysis for acute ischaemic stroke. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 7, CD000213.

    PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Wechsler, L. R. (2011). Intravenous thrombolytic therapy for acute ischemic stroke. New England Journal of Medicine, 364(22), 2138–2146.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Feinberg School of Medicine, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA

    Elliot J. Roth

Authors
  1. Elliot J. Roth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elliot J. Roth .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Richmond, Virgin Islands, USA

    Jeffrey Kreutzer

  2. Kessler Foundation , West Orange, New Jersey, USA

    John DeLuca

  3. Suite 200 , Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, USA

    Bruce Caplan

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Roth, E.J. (2018). Thrombolysis. In: Kreutzer, J., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-56782-2_2204-2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-56782-2_2204-2

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-56782-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-56782-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation