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.

Evolocumab reduces cardiac events in high-risk diabetic patients

The cholesterol-lowering therapy evolocumab reduced the risk of major adverse cardiac events by nearly one-third among patients who had no known significant atherosclerosis and had diabetes, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session.

28 Mar 2026

Intensive cholesterol‑lowering therapy reduces first major cardiac event in high‑risk patients with diabetes

Mass General Brigham researchers found that the intensive cholesterol‑lowering therapy evolocumab reduced the risk of a first major cardiovascular event in high‑risk patients who did not have known atherosclerosis (the build-up of plaque inside artery walls) but did have diabetes.

28 Mar 2026

Left atrial appendage closure matches anticoagulants in AFib patients

For patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AFib) who had no contraindications to taking oral anticoagulants, the use of a device to close off the left atrial appendage in the heart—a small pouch where blood can pool and form dangerous clots—was comparable to standard medication therapy in reducing the combined rate of all-cause stroke, cardiovascular death and systemic embolism at three years.

28 Mar 2026

New mother’s experience highlights importance of postpartum heart care

At 35, Brooklyn resident Luyba Caloras was healthy, with no history of heart problems and no reason to think she was at risk of them. But pregnancy can act as a stress test on the heart—and soon after delivering her son at NYU Langone Health on February 3, 2024, she was diagnosed with a complication she never expected.

27 Mar 2026

Updated heart guidelines urge earlier screening for high blood cholesterol

For the first time since 2018, a clinical guideline from the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association for screening and managing blood cholesterol levels has been updated and jointly published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and Circulation.

27 Mar 2026

High-intensity therapy early after stroke shows no added benefit

A clinical trial led by University of Auckland researchers found that high-intensity therapy for patients begun within two weeks of a stroke did not improve hand and arm recovery beyond standard care.

26 Mar 2026

Heart failure and atrial fibrillation share underlying genetic and molecular mechanisms

New research published in Nature Cardiovascular Research reveals that heart failure and atrial fibrillation share underlying genetic and molecular mechanisms, suggesting that the two cardiovascular conditions may be less distinct than previously thought.

26 Mar 2026

American Heart Association funds student programs to expand CPR training

According to American Heart Association data, 9 out of every 10 people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die, in part because they do not receive immediate CPR more than half of the time.

26 Mar 2026

Heavily processed foods may raise heart disease risk beyond poor nutrition alone

A 2026 review in Cardiology in Review reports that higher intake of ultra-processed foods is consistently associated with greater risks of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cardiovascular mortality across cohort studies and meta-analyses. The paper also highlights plausible mechanisms involving gut dysbiosis, oxidative stress, and NF-κB-driven inflammation, with additives such as emulsifiers, preservatives, dyes, and sweeteners discussed as potential contributors.

26 Mar 2026

The lifelong cardiovascular impact of placental abruption

Rutgers Health research shows the risk of developing early cardiovascular disease or dying from cardiovascular disease by the age of 28 was 4.6 times higher among people born to mothers who had a placental abruption during their pregnancy.

26 Mar 2026

Stroke may trigger younger brain patterns in unaffected regions

In a new study published in The Lancet Digital Health, scientists at the USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute (Stevens INI) have discovered that the brains of people who experience severe physical impairment after a stroke may reorganize themselves in unexpected ways, showing signs of "younger" brain structure in undamaged regions as they adapt to injury.

25 Mar 2026

Hormonal contraception not associated with prevalence of idiopathic intracranial hypertension

Hormonal contraception, including birth control pills and intrauterine devices (IUDs), is not associated with an increased prevalence of a brain pressure disorder called idiopathic intracranial hypertension, according to a meta-analysis published on March 25, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

25 Mar 2026

Placental abruption linked to higher heart risk in children

The risk of developing early cardiovascular disease or dying from cardiovascular disease by the age of 28 was about 4.6 times higher among people born to mothers who had a placental abruption during their pregnancy.

25 Mar 2026

Small, combined improvements to sleep, diet and physical activity may yield major heart benefits

New research shows that small improvements to sleep, diet quality, and physical activity, made in combination, are associated with a significantly reduced risk of major cardiovascular events such as stroke, heart attacks, and heart failure.

24 Mar 2026

Home-based program reduces falls among stroke survivors by one-third

New Australian research has shown that a tailored, home-based program can dramatically cut the number of falls, one of the most dangerous risks faced by survivors of stroke.

24 Mar 2026

Medicare reforms improve medication adherence among older adults with heart disease

Medicare beneficiaries with heart disease or major cardiovascular risk factors reported less cost-related medication non-adherence-skipping or reducing doses, delaying prescription fills or foregoing medications due to cost-after new provisions went into effect limiting out-of-pocket drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries, according to a study being presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26) and simultaneously published in JACC, the flagship journal of the ACC.

24 Mar 2026

Transportation noise linked to higher risk of major cardiac events

Living in areas with consistently higher levels of noise from transportation was associated with a significantly higher risk of major adverse cardiac events compared with living in quieter areas, according to a study being presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26).

24 Mar 2026

New cholesterol guidelines emphasize earlier risk assessment and prevention

New national guidance for managing cholesterol and other blood lipids emphasizes earlier risk assessment, more personalized treatment, and long-term prevention—including, in some cases, treatment beginning as early as age 30.

23 Mar 2026

Early adulthood hypertension linked to heart and kidney disease later in life

Higher blood pressure during young adulthood is likely linked to a higher risk of heart disease and kidney disease later in life, reinforcing the importance of maintaining healthy blood pressure at younger ages, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's EPI|Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2026.

23 Mar 2026

New NYU study identifies lower heat risk thresholds for vulnerable older adults

Nationally, heat-related mortality has risen by nearly 17 % per year since 2016. As a result, New York City now issues heat alerts and opens cooling centers when the heat index is forecast to reach 95 degrees Fahrenheit or higher for at least two consecutive days or a heat index of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher for any length of time.

23 Mar 2026