Parenteral pentoxifylline treatment of ischemic cerebrovascular accident. Preliminary results

: Ten patients with ischaemic cerebrovascular accident were given pentoxifylline, 1.2-1.5 g daily parenterally for ten consecutive days. At the beginning of treatment, on the first and then every third day the following rheological measurements were made: yield shear stress, plasma viscosity, haematocrit, erythrocyte aggregation and deformability. In the course of treatment there was a highly significant improvement in the first and last functions. Plasma viscosity and erythrocyte aggregation did not change significantly. Haematocrit was changed in two patients by isovolaemic haemodilutions. Clinically there was improvement in nine patients; one patient died as a result of severe brainstem ischaemia.