Antithrombotic therapy in cerebral infarction]

Antithrombotic therapy for the acute stage of cerebral infarction consists of thrombolysis, anticoagulant therapy and antiplatelet therapy, and their indications depend on the clinicopathological type of lesion, time after onset, and severity of illness. Tissue plasminogen activator has been approved in the United States for use in cerebral infarction within 3 hours after onset. The usefulness of heparin as anticoagulant therapy at the acute stage of cerebral infarction was not proved by the International Stroke Trial due to hemorrhagic complication. A selective thrombin inhibitor (argatroban) is used in Japan for atherothrombotic cerebral infarction within 48 hours after onset. A selective thromboxane A2 synthetase inhibitor (sodium ozagrel) had been approved for cerebral thrombosis within 5 days after onset. Aspirin (160-300 mg/day) is effective, but slightly, in the acute stage of cerebral infarction by the International Stroke Trial and Chinese Acute Stroke Trial. To prevent recurrence of stroke in the chronic stage of cerebral infarction, antiplatelet therapy (with aspirin or ticlopidine) is used for atherothrombotic cerebral infarction, and anticoagulant therapy with warfarin for cardioembolic cerebral infarction.