Hyperglycemia, acute ischemic stroke, and thrombolytic therapy

Sherif Hafez1,2, Maha Coucha3, Askiel Bruno4

  • 1Charlie Norwood Veterans Administration Medical Center, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia.

Insights

Hyperglycemia worsens stroke outcomes and increases hemorrhage risk with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) therapy. Understanding these interactions is crucial for developing safer stroke treatments.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Ischemic stroke is a major cause of death and disability.
  • Acute hyperglycemia in stroke patients correlates with poor outcomes, longer hospital stays, and increased mortality.
  • Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is the primary treatment for acute ischemic stroke, but carries a risk of intracerebral hemorrhage.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current management strategies for hyperglycemia in stroke patients receiving tPA.
  • To explore the mechanisms by which hyperglycemia exacerbates neurovascular injury.
  • To summarize therapeutic approaches for mitigating stroke injury in hyperglycemic conditions and discuss the HG-tPA interaction.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of clinical trials and experimental models.
  • Focus on preclinical studies investigating hyperglycemia's effect on stroke.
  • Analysis of mechanisms, therapeutic strategies, and the interaction between hyperglycemia and tPA.

Main Results:

  • Hyperglycemia is linked to worse stroke outcomes and increased risk of hemorrhage with tPA.
  • Mechanisms underlying HG-induced neurovascular injury are complex and not fully elucidated.
  • Various therapeutic strategies are being explored to reduce injury and hemorrhage risk.

Conclusions:

  • Effective management of hyperglycemia in stroke patients is critical.
  • Further preclinical research is needed to understand the interaction between hyperglycemia and tPA.
  • Developing strategies to reduce tPA-induced hemorrhage in hyperglycemic stroke is a key clinical goal.

Related Concept Videos

Ischemic Stroke l: Introduction01:15

Ischemic Stroke l: Introduction

Ischemic stroke is an acute cerebrovascular condition in which blood flow to a brain region is suddenly interrupted, leading to tissue infarction. Neurons depend on continuous oxygen and glucose supply, so even brief reductions in perfusion cause energy failure, ionic imbalance, and irreversible injury. Ischemic strokes are classified into thrombotic and embolic types based on their underlying mechanisms.Thrombotic MechanismsThrombotic stroke develops when a clot forms within a cerebral artery.
44
Ischemic Stroke ll: Pathophysiology01:15

Ischemic Stroke ll: Pathophysiology

An ischemic stroke occurs when a cerebral blood vessel becomes obstructed, most often by a thrombus or embolus, interrupting the delivery of oxygen and glucose to brain tissue. Because neurons rely on continuous aerobic metabolism, energy failure begins within minutes of reduced perfusion. The region receiving the least blood flow becomes the infarct core, an area of irreversible cellular death. Surrounding this core lies the penumbra, a zone of hypoperfused but still viable tissue that is...
54
Hyperglycemia01:29

Hyperglycemia

Hyperglycemia is an abnormally high blood glucose level. It is diagnosed by fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL, 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (or OGTT) ≥200 mg/dL, random glucose ≥200 mg/dL with symptoms, or HbA1c ≥6.5%. However, HbA1c results may be unreliable in certain conditions, such as anemia or hemoglobinopathies, and the diagnosis should be confirmed unless classic symptoms are present. Postprandial hyperglycemia is typically considered significant when glucose...
25
Hypoglycemia and Glucagon01:15

Hypoglycemia and Glucagon

Without prolonged fasting, healthy individuals maintain blood glucose levels above 3.5 mM due to a well-adapted neuroendocrine counterregulatory system that effectively prevents acute hypoglycemia, a potentially life-threatening condition. The primary clinical scenarios for hypoglycemia encompass diabetes treatment, inappropriate production of endogenous insulin or insulin-like substances by tumors, and the use of glucose-lowering agents in non-diabetic individuals. Notably, hypoglycemia in the...
1.3K
Hypoglycemia01:26

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia is a blood glucose level below 70 mg/dL. It commonly occurs in individuals using insulin or insulin-secreting drugs, but may also arise in non-diabetic conditions. People with type 1 diabetes are at the highest risk because they depend on exogenous insulin. People with type 2 diabetes are also at risk, especially when treated with insulin or medications such as sulfonylureas, which increase insulin release regardless of blood glucose levels. It develops when insulin levels exceed...
30
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: α-Glucosidase Inhibitors01:19

Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: α-Glucosidase Inhibitors

α-glucosidase inhibitors, including acarbose (Precose), miglitol (Glyset), and voglibose (Voglib) (primarily available in Asia), are drugs that control blood sugar levels by delaying the digestion of starch and disaccharides. They achieve this by inhibiting α-glucosidase enzymes in the intestine, which slow the absorption of carbohydrates in the intestine, which in turn leads to a prolonged release of the glucoregulatory hormone GLP-1 from intestinal L-cells.
Acarbose and miglitol are...
953