Date of Award

2027

Document Type

Capstone

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Physician Assistant Studies

Committee Chair

Ashley Kernicky

Abstract

In the United States, an estimated 795,000 people experience a first or recurrent stroke each year.1 Despite advances in early recognition protocol, reperfusion therapies, and rehabilitation, stroke is still the fourth leading cause of death, after heart disease, cancer, and accidental injury. Ischemic strokes account for around 87% of all strokes.1 Long-term sequelae of ischemic stroke survivors include disability, dementia, depression, and ongoing fatigue.2 As a result, stroke causes decreased quality of life, economic burden, and caregiver stress.

Management strategies for ischemic stroke have evolved considerably over the past several decades. The current acute treatment strategy focuses on recognizing symptoms promptly and restoring cerebral perfusion as quickly as possible to limit neuronal injury. Reperfusion options include intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and mechanical thrombectomy.2 The most current guidelines include recently U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved intravenous tenecteplase compared to alteplase, when eligible and within the 4.5-hour thrombolytic treatment window.3 Despite these advances, patients continue to experience neurological deficits and long-term disability. As a result, there has been a push for adjunctive neuroprotective therapies that target the cellular mechanisms of ischemic injury.4 The term neuroprotection refers to the protection of neuronal tissue from degeneration and has played a central role in the discussion of stroke, Parkinson’s disease, dementia, and others.4 Inflammation following an ischemic stroke causes secondary brain injury and the severity correlates with the level of inflammation, therefore neuroprotective agents have been largely targeted for reducing neuronal damage.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

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