| The much-maligned upside-downer may be landing | | | | (TPA), and there may be additional advantages as |
| upright after all. The vampire bat, following | | | | well. |
| centuries of scorn and ridicule, finds itself on the | | | | Time, of course, is critical in the treatment of |
| cutting edge of medical advances. Researchers | | | | stroke victims. TPA, to be both effective and |
| have discovered that a derivative of the vampire | | | | safe, must be administered within three hours of |
| bat's saliva may be the most effective early | | | | the stroke. However, only about 3 percent of |
| intervention in cases of ischemic stroke - strokes | | | | stroke victims receive treatment at a hospital |
| due to a blockage of an artery in the brain. | | | | within the three-hour window. The vampire bats |
| Stroke is serious business. The American Heart | | | | apparently dealt with this issue long ago, and the |
| Association lists stroke as the third leading cause | | | | saliva drug derivative triples the time available for |
| of death in America, following heart disease and | | | | treatment to a full nine hours. This advance alone |
| cancer. About 700,000 people suffer strokes each | | | | makes the new drug the frontrunner in early |
| year and there are currently over 5.5 million | | | | intervention. In addition, the bat saliva derivative |
| stroke survivors. Women suffer strokes more | | | | has proven to be more effective against blood |
| frequently than men, and they account for just | | | | clots and administration is quicker. TPA must be |
| over 60% of stroke deaths and roughly 55% of | | | | delivered intravenously, over about a one hour |
| survivors. | | | | period, while the new bat derivative is |
| How does the vampire bat enter into the | | | | administered directly by injection, within just a |
| equation? Researchers find that desmoteplase, a | | | | minute or two. |
| derivative of the bat's saliva, may be beneficial in | | | | The bat saliva derivative is currently in Phase III |
| treating stroke victims. The vampire bat's saliva | | | | clinical trials in eighty medical centers worldwide. |
| has a natural anticoagulant property that inhibits | | | | Does this mean we'll soon see images of vampire |
| the blood of its victims from clotting. In human | | | | bats on hospital emergency room signs? Doubtful. |
| trials, the saliva derivative also acts aggressively | | | | But, don't be surprised if you hear an overly |
| to breakdown existing blood clots in the brain, | | | | eager neurology resident, caught up in the drama |
| without doing damage to surrounding tissue. This | | | | of treating her first stroke patient, shout, "Get |
| is a decided advantage over the current early | | | | the bat - stat! |
| intervention drug, tissue plasminogen activator | | | | |