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.

Immigrants face longer ICU stays after stroke in Canada

Among people who have a stroke in Canada, immigrants were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) at similar rates as long-term residents or people who were born in Canada, but they were more likely to have longer stays in the ICU, according to a study published September 2, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

2 Sep 2026

Post-trauma mental health conditions increase future cardiovascular risks

Mental health conditions, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, depression and anxiety, can develop after people experience trauma.

2 Sep 2026

Study reveals why many patients fail to recover after stroke

A clot forms. Blood flow to the brain is blocked. Starved of oxygen, neurons begin to die.

2 Sep 2026

Study uncovers cause of abnormal breathing in Rett syndrome

Hyperventilating. Breath holding until they turn blue. This abnormal breathing is frequent and disturbing in people with Rett syndrome, a rare genetic disease.

1 Sep 2026

Certain diabetes patients face higher ketoacidosis risk with SGLT2 drugs

Patients with type 2 diabetes who have high blood glucose levels, low body weight, or a history of ketoacidosis are at increased risk of developing this serious condition when treated with so-called SGLT2 inhibitors.

1 Sep 2026

AAN launches new resource to help people find reliable information about brain health

The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) has launched BrainHealth.com, a new public resource offering expert-reviewed information, tools and stories to help people improve and protect their brain health.

1 Sep 2026

New guideline updates medications for preventing migraine in adults

To help clinicians determine which medications may be most effective at preventing migraine in adults, the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and American Headache Society (AHS) have issued a joint practice guideline update with evidence-based recommendations, published on August 31, 2026, in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, and in Headache, the official journal of the American Headache Society.

31 Aug 2026

CAC-based statin initiation shows no difference in major cardiovascular events

There was no difference in major cardiovascular events when statin initiation was based on coronary artery calcium compared with traditional risk factor assessment, according to results presented in a Hot Line session today at ESC Congress 2026.

31 Aug 2026

Catheter-directed thrombolysis improves short-term outcomes in pulmonary embolism patients

In patients with intermediate−high risk pulmonary embolism, catheter-directed thrombolysis improved short-term clinical outcomes compared with standard anticoagulation therapy alone, according to results presented in a Hot Line session today at ESC Congress 2026.

31 Aug 2026

Routine referral of prostate cancer patients to a cardiovascular specialist fails to cut cardiac events

Men with prostate cancer have a high risk of heart disease, especially when treated with hormone therapy.

31 Aug 2026

UC San Diego researchers win DARPA award to develop improved red blood cells

Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine have been awarded a contract of up to $11.312 million from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to pursue a high-risk, high-reward research project aimed at developing optimized red blood cells that can temporarily boost human performance and health.

31 Aug 2026

Left atrial appendage closure benefits only high-risk cardiac surgery patients

Results do not support routine closure of the left atrial appendage in all patients undergoing open-heart surgery but those at high stroke risk may benefit.

31 Aug 2026

Older heart attack patients need routine invasive treatment rather than selective care

A routine invasive approach should not be replaced with a more selective approach in older patients with the most common type of heart attack.

31 Aug 2026

Virtual e-health system safely monitors cardiac devices and cuts costs

A virtual e-health system (VIRTUES) was as safe and effective as standard care for monitoring the function of cardiac implantable electronic devices, with the benefit of cost savings and patient satisfaction.

31 Aug 2026

Anticoagulation lowers subclinical leaflet thrombosis after TAVI procedure

After transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), anticoagulation reduced imaging signs of clot formation on the new valve compared with antiplatelet therapy, without compromising safety. This was the main finding of the ACASA-TAVI trial presented in a Hot Line session today at ESC Congress 2026 and published simultaneously in JAMA.

31 Aug 2026

Catheter ablation reduces AF recurrence but not quality of life

Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) did not significantly improve AF-related quality of life compared with a sham procedure, despite reducing AF recurrence.

30 Aug 2026

Starting statins early after diabetes diagnosis linked to lower dementia risk

Early initiation of statins after diagnosis of type 2 diabetes was associated with a lower risk of dementia, according to a study presented today at ESC Congress 2026 and published in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe.

30 Aug 2026

Met-HeFT trial finds no cardiovascular benefit from metformin

Metformin did not significantly affect the risk of cardiovascular outcomes in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and diabetes or at risk of diabetes.

30 Aug 2026

Your skin may offer clues about how many fruits and vegetables you eat

In an exploratory study of 137 Australian adults, skin yellowness measured by reflectance spectroscopy was associated with combined fruit and vegetable intake, fruit intake alone, total carotenoid intake, body fat percentage and skin color. The findings suggest skin measurements could provide an objective dietary biomarker, but the researchers caution that skin color, ethnicity and other individual characteristics may influence how the measurements are interpreted.

30 Aug 2026

SWITCH SWEDEHEART trial shows prasugrel matches ticagrelor with less bleeding

Prasugrel reduced major cardiovascular events to the same extent as ticagrelor but with lower major bleeding after coronary stenting in patients with acute coronary syndromes, according to results from the SWITCH SWEDEHEART trial presented in a Hot Line session today at ESC Congress 2026 and published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine.

29 Aug 2026