Getting More Oxygen to the Brain is Improving Stroke Outcomes

The mortality rate for stroke has declined in recent decades in the U.S., thanks to greater awareness of the need to seek emergency care at the first sign of symptoms, improved treatment options and better management of risk factors.

And with the work that experts at Baptist Health Miami Neuroscience Institute are doing to develop neuroprotective treatments specifically aimed at increasing oxygen flow in the brain following a stroke, physicians hope to see even better outcomes for stroke patients in the future.

“Neuroprotection is a broad term,” explains Italo Linfante, M.D., medical director of interventional neuroradiology at the Institute. “What we are particularly excited about are investigational medications that work to improve oxygenation and blood circulation to the brain.”

What Causes a Stroke?

Every 40 seconds in the U.S., someone has a stroke, and one in six cardiovascular deaths is due to stroke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A stroke can occur when a blood vessel is blocked, cutting off the blood supply to the brain (an ischemic stroke), or when a weakened blood vessel in the brain bursts (a hemorrhagic stroke).

Ischemic strokes are the most common type of stroke, accounting for approximately 87 percent of all strokes. A good outcome depends upon the speedy administration of clot-busting drugs and/or a mechanical thrombectomy, a minimally invasive procedure to remove blood clots from an artery and restore blood flow.

It’s also important, the doctors agree, to receive care from dedicated stroke teams. The programs at Baptist Health Baptist Hospital and Boca Raton Regional Hospital, also part of Baptist Health, are designated as Comprehensive Stroke Centers by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association and can treat the most-complex cases. 

Clinical Trials Study New Stroke Therapies 

Dr. Linfante led the multi-institutional HEMERA-1 clinical trial, a study using polyethylene glycol (PEG)ylated bovine carboxyhemoglobin, also known as PP-007. The Phase 1 trial proved the safety of the medication and led to its fast-track designation by the FDA, an indication that it has groundbreaking potential in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke.

At the Live International Neuroradiology, Neurology and Neurosurgery Course (LINNC) Americas seminar in Miami and the International Stroke Conference in Los Angeles, Dr. Linfante shared results from the initial study, which will be published soon. He is now heading a global Phase 3 study of the medication, designed to determine if there are additional patient benefits when two doses of the drug are given.

Italo Linfante, M.D., medical director of interventional neuroradiology at Baptist Health Miami Neuroscience Institute

“The brain is the organ that consumes the most oxygen in the human body,” Dr. Linfante says. “With too little or no oxygen, damage to the brain can be life-threatening or result in life-long disability. If we can deliver more oxygen to the brain while treating the stroke, we can dilate blood vessels and protect brain cells.”

As a gas transfer molecule, PP-007 carries oxygen, improving circulation around the blockage in the blood vessel until physicians can recanalize, or reopen, the blocked artery. “I’m very excited that we have the possibility to improve the survival of brain cells,” he says.

Know the Warning Signs of Stroke 

Because every minute counts during a stroke, everyone should know the F.A.S.T. warning signs. They are:

·      F — Face drooping. Does one side of the face droop or is it numb?

·      A — Arm weakness. Is one arm weak or numb? Does one arm drift downward when both arms are held above the head?

·      S — Speech difficulty. Is speech slurred?

·      T — Time is of the essence. Call 911 immediately.

Other lesser-known symptoms of stroke include confusion, vision problems, sudden onset of dizziness, loss of coordination and swallowing problems.

For more information about stroke care at Baptist Health, click here.