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.

Wegovy® (semaglutide injection) 2.4 mg recommended by NICE to reduce risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, including heart attacks and strokes, in adults with established cardiovascular disease and overweight or obesity (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2)

NICE has recommended Wegovy® (semaglutide injection) 2.4 mg as the first GLP-1 RA to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or non-fatal stroke) in adults with established cardiovascular disease and either obesity or overweight (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2).

From Novo Nordisk 2 Apr 2026

Study finds higher heart disease risk in long COVID patients

People with long COVID are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in eClinicalMedicine.

1 Apr 2026

Lack of dental care linked to higher heart and dementia risk

Being unable to afford dental care may increase a person's risk of developing cardiovascular disease or dementia, according to a new study led by researchers at Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH).

1 Apr 2026

Vitamin D levels in midlife tied to lower dementia risk marker

Having higher levels of vitamin D in the blood in middle age is associated with lower levels of tau protein in the brain, which is a sign of dementia, years later, according to a study published April 1, 2026, in Neurology Open Access, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

1 Apr 2026

Mono infection associated with threefold higher multiple sclerosis risk

Having the disease infectious mononucleosis, often called mono, caused by the Epstein-Barr virus is associated with an increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study published on April 1, 2026, in Neurology® Open Access, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

1 Apr 2026

Molecular switch in neurons found to limit the regrowth of damaged axonal fibers

Researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have discovered a molecular switch in neurons that limits the regrowth of damaged axonal fibers.

1 Apr 2026

How swapping unhealthy foods can significantly reduce your heart risk

More than half of adults and about 60% of children in the U.S. have unhealthy diets, which can contribute to higher rates of health factors such as high blood pressure and obesity, and lead directly to poor health outcomes including deaths from cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions, according to the American Heart Association.

31 Mar 2026

Collaboration advances EMA601 as potential first-in-class stroke therapy

Boehringer Ingelheim and the Lower Franconian biotech company EMFRET Analytics have signed a cooperation and license agreement for the preclinical development program of the GPVI‑blocking antibody EMA601.

30 Mar 2026

New initiative aims to improve care for people living with Fontan circulation

The lifesaving surgery used to treat children with single ventricle heart disease, the Fontan procedure, can pose serious health complications throughout life.

30 Mar 2026

Measuring heart fat with AI improves cardiovascular risk prediction

Mayo Clinic research identified a powerful new way to improve the prediction of a patient's long-term cardiovascular disease risk by enhancing a routinely performed imaging test with artificial intelligence (AI).

30 Mar 2026

Study links atrial fibrillation to poorer brain clearance and cognitive decline

Researchers found that people with atrial fibrillation had lower MRI-based glymphatic activity and poorer cognitive performance than healthy controls, with the greatest impairment seen in non-paroxysmal AF. In patients who underwent catheter ablation, glymphatic activity improved after sinus rhythm was restored, suggesting a possible link between heart rhythm, brain waste clearance, and cognition.

30 Mar 2026

Time-restricted eating improves hormone levels in women with PCOS

Polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, affects as many as 18% of all childbearing-age women. The condition occurs when a woman's body produces too much of a group of hormones called androgens, chiefly testosterone. Menstrual irregularity, obesity and even infertility can result.

30 Mar 2026

AI eye exams accurately identify heart disease risk during routine visits

A new system that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to assess cardiovascular risk based on images of the eye captured during eye exams demonstrated strong correlation with a standard cardiovascular risk assessment, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26).

30 Mar 2026

New clinical guideline adopts holistic approach to brain and heart health

A new brain–heart clinical practice guideline takes a holistic approach, integrating neurologic and mental health evidence with guidance for cardiovascular disease as many brain and heart conditions overlap and share similar risk factors.

30 Mar 2026

Short bursts of vigorous activity can lower risk of major diseases

People who get just a few minutes of vigorous activity daily are less likely to develop eight major diseases, including arthritis, heart disease and dementia, according to research published in the European Heart Journal today (Monday).

29 Mar 2026

Deferring PCI before TAVR shows comparable outcomes in elderly patients

Older patients with coronary artery disease scheduled for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) had comparable outcomes regardless of whether they underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) before TAVR, according to findings from the PRO-TAVI study presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26).

29 Mar 2026

Transcatheter valve-in-valve procedure improves short-term outcomes in high-risk patients

In patients with a poorly functioning bioprosthetic mitral valve in the heart, a minimally invasive procedure to insert a new valve was associated with a lower rate of death or disabling stroke within one year, compared with patients who underwent standard repeat mitral valve replacement surgery, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26).

29 Mar 2026

Minimally invasive valve repair lowers hospitalizations in heart failure patients

At two years of follow-up, patients with a poorly functioning tricuspid valve in the heart who received optimal medical therapy plus a minimally invasive procedure using a clip to repair the valve were significantly less likely to die, have a heart attack or stroke and 40% less likely to be hospitalized for heart failure compared with similar patients who were randomly assigned to optimal medical therapy alone.

29 Mar 2026

Left-ventricular unloading during angioplasty fails to improve patient outcomes

The first randomized trial to compare standard percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), also known as coronary angioplasty, with PCI accompanied by the use of a temporary, miniaturized pump to support the heart in patients with both severe coronary heart disease and moderate to severe heart failure found no significant difference between the two approaches.

29 Mar 2026

Intensive LDL cholesterol-lowering shows major benefits for heart disease patients

Using cholesterol-lowering medications more intensively to achieve a more aggressive target for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) reduced the rate of major cardiovascular events by one-third among patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26).

28 Mar 2026