Older persons who are concerned about the dangers of having a stroke might be interested to know that the antibiotic minocycline could change the way such emergencies are handled.
The journal BMC Neuroscience recently published the results of a study that suggest minocycline might help seniors avoid suffering severe strokes.
"To date, the thrombolytic agent tPA is the only effective drug for acute ischemic stroke; however, only about 2 percent of ischemic stroke patients benefit from this treatment due to its limited therapeutic window," said Dr.
Cesar Borlongan from the University of South Florida. "There is a desperate need to develop additional neuroprotective strategies."
In the UK, a stroke occurs every five minutes. Strokes account for nearly 10 percent of deaths worldwide. They are caused by clots that prevent blood from circulating to the brain.
After suffering a stroke, individuals could experience side effects such as brain damage. Older persons who smoke, have high cholesterol or high blood pressure are more likely to have a stroke, according to the Mayo Clinic.
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