Final answer:
Thrombolytic agents are drugs used to speed up the degradation of abnormal blood clots in cases of thrombotic stroke, improving the patient's prognosis. These agents convert plasminogen to plasmin, the enzyme responsible for breaking down clots. Treatment with thrombolytic agents must be administered within 3 hours of the stroke and only for thrombotic strokes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Thrombolytic agents are a class of drugs used to speed up the degradation of abnormal blood clots. These agents, such as tissue plasminogen activator, work by converting plasminogen to plasmin, which is the primary enzyme responsible for breaking down clots. When administered within 3 hours following a thrombotic stroke, thrombolytic agents can significantly improve the patient's prognosis by restoring normal blood flow and reducing the size of the clot. It is important to determine the cause of the stroke before starting treatment, as thrombolytic agents are not suitable for strokes caused by hemorrhage.