Treatment of Cerebral Ischemia With Vasoactive Drugs

Abstract

Carbon dioxide has long been used in the treatment of stroke syndromes, and numerous other potent vasodilators are available which may be of benefit in some cases. Considering what has been learned about the cerebral circulation and the response to ischemia, however, other approaches to therapy seem to be indicated, one being induction of vasoconstriction to shift blood to ischemic tissue. The so-called intracerebral steal phenomenon is a potential hazard in the use of carbon dioxide.