Stroke News and Research

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A stroke is a medical emergency. Strokes happen when blood flow to your brain stops. Within minutes, brain cells begin to die. There are two kinds of stroke. The more common kind, called ischemic stroke, is caused by a blood clot that blocks or plugs a blood vessel in the brain. The other kind, called hemorrhagic stroke, is caused by a blood vessel that breaks and bleeds into the brain. "Mini-strokes" or transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), occur when the blood supply to the brain is briefly interrupted.

Controversial theory about how diabetes causes extensive tissue damage

A controversial theory about how diabetes causes extensive tissue damage will appear in the November issue of Diabetes. At stake in the heated debate over the theory are researchers' efforts to find new ways to reduce loss of vision, kidney failure, heart damage and other side effects of diabetes.

29 Oct 2004

100,000 Iraqi civilians have died as a result of the March 2003 invasion

Public-health experts from the USA and Iraq estimate that around 100,000 Iraqi civilians have died as a result of the March 2003 invasion-the majority being violent deaths among women and children relating to military activity.

29 Oct 2004

Study supports earlier findings, and even showed a significantly higher prevalence of periodontal diseases in cardiac patients

Research is racing to help healthcare professionals further understand how periodontal diseases are linked to cardiovascular disease.

28 Oct 2004

New insights into hormone therapy show when estrogen best aids brain

New hormone therapy studies demonstrate estrogen's ability to directly stimulate neurons, repair damaged neurons, and stimulate support cells—most of which can alleviate some of the cognitive decline associated with menopause.

28 Oct 2004

Marijuana-like compounds may aid Parkinson's disease, pain and obesity

No longer a pipe dream, new animal research now indicates that marijuana-like compounds can aid a bevy of debilitating conditions, ranging from brain disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson's disease, to pain and obesity.

28 Oct 2004

First study to measure the influence of night-shift work on hormone levels that may affect breast-cancer risk

Three years ago, investigators at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center made headlines nationwide when they published the results of a population-based study that suggested women who work the graveyard shift have an increased risk of breast cancer as opposed to women who work the day shift.

26 Oct 2004

Friends and family could be the cure for work related stress

On-the-job stress can increase your blood pressure, adding to your risk of having a heart attack or stroke, according to evidence from two new studies by Heart and Stroke Foundation researchers.

26 Oct 2004

Blood pressure at the high end of normal still a risk for heart disease

If you’re male, and your systolic blood pressure is a little bit on the high side, even though it is still within the normal range, you could be at an increased risk of having heart attack compared to men whose systolic blood pressure is on the low end of normal, Heart and Stroke Foundation researchers say.

26 Oct 2004

Anxiety helps memory recall, but stress hinders complex problem solving

Researchers at Ohio State University gave a battery of simple cognitive tests to 19 first-year medical students one to two days before a regular classroom exam – a period when they would be highly stressed. Students were also given a similar battery of tests a week after the exam, when things were less hectic.

26 Oct 2004

Researchers found that sedentary lifestyles can lead to higher medical costs

Lack of physical activity is costly not just to people’s health but to their wallets as well, a new study suggests.

25 Oct 2004

Obese patients have higher health care costs

Compared to nonobese persons, obese patients had higher average health care costs over a one-year period, according to an article in the October 25 issue of The Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

25 Oct 2004

Studies examine risk factors and potential consequences associated with prehypertension

A substantial proportion of Americans have prehypertension (blood pressure above optimal levels, but not clinical hypertension) which is associated with an increased prevalence of other risk factors for heart disease and stroke and is also associated with potential increased risk for hospitalization and death

25 Oct 2004

Following the withdrawal of Vioxx, the European Medicines Agency has been asked to review of COX-2 inhibitor medicines

Following the worldwide withdrawal of Vioxx (rofecoxib), the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has been asked by the European Commission, as a precautionary measure, to conduct a review of COX-2 inhibitor medicines.

25 Oct 2004

A single change in a person’s DNA can contribute to a range of life-shortening risk factors

A woman with hypertension, low magnesium levels, and a cooperative family allowed scientists to pinpoint the mutation, which affects the genes of the mitochondria — the energy-producing power plants of the cell that are passed from mother to offspring.

25 Oct 2004

Experts take aim at the obesity epidemic in Canada

A panel of experts today took aim at the obesity epidemic in Canada, exploring innovative ideas to help individuals, organizations and governments address this major health threat.

25 Oct 2004

To avoid metabolic syndrome is relatively simple – 30 minutes of physical activity once a week

Metabolic syndrome is a condition that is affecting thousands of Canadians and is putting them at risk of heart disease and stroke, especially those aged 50 and over.

25 Oct 2004

Breakthrough discovery in treating narrowed arteries

A breakthrough discovery by Heart and Stroke Foundation researcher Dr. Michael Kutryk that harnesses the body’s own natural defenses to fight narrowing of the arteries has been recognized as “a glimpse into the future” and “potentially one of the biggest advances in cardiology to date”.

25 Oct 2004

Surgical future for heart patients in Canada's isolated towns and villages, will lie increasingly in the hands of robots

The surgical future for heart patients in Canada's northlands or in isolated towns and villages, will lie increasingly in the hands of robots, says Dr. Alan Menkis.

25 Oct 2004

Calorie restriction prevents certain aging-related changes in the brain

Severe calorie restriction prevents certain aging-related changes in the brain, including the accumulation of free radicals and impairments in coordination and strength, according to a mouse study at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

24 Oct 2004

Exercise protects brain cells affected by Parkinson's

In an animal model of Parkinson's, exercise prevents degeneration of nerve cells that are normally impaired or destroyed by the disease, according to University of Pittsburgh researchers.

24 Oct 2004