Innovative blood thinner alternative may change stroke treatment

Nearly 800,000 people in the U.S. experience a stroke annually, with one in four survivors likely to have another within five years. An experimental drug, part of a class known as factor 11-a inhibitors, promises to reduce recurrent strokes without increasing bleeding risks, unlike traditional blood thinners. Dr. Andrew Russman of the Cleveland Clinic highlights the drug's potential as a "game changer" in stroke care, supported by a national clinical trial's positive findings. Bayer, the drug's manufacturer, has received FDA fast track status, and the medication could be available next year following a thorough review.