Ischemic brain tissue salvaged from infarction by the GP IIb/IIIa platelet antagonist tirofiban

In an open pilot study, the authors tested whether the nonpeptide glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa antagonist tirofiban, a highly effective and selective blocker of platelet aggregation, prevents the transition of ischemic brain tissue into the infarct proper as defined by MRI (perfusion-weighted/T2-weighted) in patients with acute ischemic stroke. The infarct volume (T2 lesion after 1 week) was smaller in treated patients (n = 10) compared with matched control subjects (n = 10; p = 0.029) with similar initial perfusion deficit (TTP-maps). The authors conclude that GP IIb/IIIa antagonists have therapeutic potential in acute stroke therapy.