tPA Quick Reference Table
| tPA |
| Names |
Tissue plasminogen activator
alteplase (drug name)
Activase (brand name) |
| How is is given: |
Through an IV in your arm or through a catheter into your arteries |
| What it is used for: |
- Treating blocked-vessel (ischemic) stroke within the first few hours after symptoms appear
- Treating a heart attack
|
| You should not be treated with it if: |
- You have had a TIA ( mini-stroke)
- You have a bleeding (hemorrhagic) stroke
- You have a history of bleeding in the brain
- You have very high blood pressure
- You have had recent major surgery or trauma
- More
|
| Pregnancy/nursing: |
- The safety of tPA in pregnancy is not known. Current evidence suggests that tPA is relatively safe for the mother and fetus, but data are limited and the risks and benefits should be carefully considered.8
- It is not known if tPA is carried into breast milkâmany drugs are, so stopping breastfeeding until the drug has been cleared from the body should be considered
|
Next: Who might receive tPA?
