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.

High BP predicts long-term CV mortality in Japanese

A study in a Japanese population has shown that an above-normal blood pressure could increase long-term risk for cardiovascular mortality.

29 Oct 2012

Experts explore decline in throat infection admissions

Hospital admissions for acute throat infection in children have increased significantly over the past decade in the UK, while the rate of tonsillectomy has declined, researchers report.

29 Oct 2012

Isis commences ISIS-FXIRx Phase 2 study in knee replacement surgery patients

Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced the initiation of a Phase 2 comparator-controlled study evaluating ISIS-FXIRx in patients undergoing knee replacement surgery, also referred to as total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

29 Oct 2012

High-intensity training boosts cognitive function

A regular exercise routine can make you fitter than ever - mentally fit.

29 Oct 2012

Female smokers who stop before middle age on average gain ten extra years of life

The largest-ever study of the hazards of smoking and benefits of stopping for women in the UK has shown that female smokers lose at least ten years of lifespan, but that stopping before the age of 40, and preferably well before the age of 40, avoids more than 90% of the increased risk of dying caused by continuing to smoke, while stopping before the age of 30 avoids over 97% of it.

29 Oct 2012

Maternal bariatric surgery affects cardiovascular risk profile of offsprings

Kids born to moms who have lost a substantial amount of weight after undergoing bariatric surgery have fewer cardiovascular risk factors than their siblings who were born before the weight loss surgery.

29 Oct 2012

Peer mentoring in schools can increase kids' physical activity levels

Using peer mentors to enhance school-day physical activity in elementary aged students has been given an A+ from Nova Scotia researchers.

29 Oct 2012

Drug company to pay $95M to settle allegations of improper promotions for three drugs

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc. will pay $95 million to settle allegations that the company promoted three drugs for uses that were not medically accepted, the government announced Thursday.

29 Oct 2012

Routine ECG can help doctors identify patients at higher risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes

Canadian scientists have determined that routine electrocardiogram results for patients with atrial fibrillation - the most common form of irregular heart beat - can help doctors identify those at higher risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes, including death.

29 Oct 2012

UK remains at risk of devastating stroke crisis, new report confirms

The UK remains at risk of a devastating stroke crisis, according to UK health experts launching Reports published today, on World Stroke Day, by Action for Stroke Prevention, an alliance of renowned health experts and patient organisations.

29 Oct 2012

Resistin protein causes high levels of bad cholesterol

Canadian scientists have discovered that a protein called resistin, secreted by fat tissue, causes high levels of "bad" cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein or LDL), increasing the risk of heart disease.

29 Oct 2012

Trial finds benefits in using radial approach for primary angioplasty in heart attack patients

A study found several benefits in using the radial artery in the arm as the entry point for angioplasty or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared to the femoral artery in the leg. Results of the STEMI-RADIAL trial were presented today at the 24th annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium.

29 Oct 2012

Older patients with COPD at increased risk for carotid artery plaque formation: Study

Older patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are at increased risk for carotid artery plaque formation and for the presence of vulnerable plaques with a lipid core, according to a new study from researchers in the Netherlands.

29 Oct 2012

Results of diabetes management program to be presented at Canadian Cardiovascular Congress

In Canada alone, almost 2 million people are known to be living with diabetes. And around a million more have the disease but are not aware of that fact, and have not been given the tools they need to control their blood sugar and safeguard their health.

29 Oct 2012

Flu shot might also prevent heart disease

Getting a flu shot may not only protect you from getting sick, it might also prevent heart disease.

29 Oct 2012

Europe remains at risk of a devastating stroke crisis

Europe remains at risk of a devastating stroke crisis, according to a major new Report, "How Can We Avoid a Stroke Crisis in Europe?" published today, on World Stroke Day, by Action for Stroke Prevention (ASP).

29 Oct 2012

Study describes how Dbr1 gene halts toxic buildup of TDP-43-a protein

Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes and the Stanford University School of Medicine have discovered how modifying a gene halts the toxic buildup of a protein found in nerve cells. These findings point to a potential new tactic for treating a variety of neurodegenerative conditions, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease)-a fatal disease for which there is no cure.

29 Oct 2012

New anti-thrombotic treatments in AF patients can reduce risk of stroke

Atrial fibrillation, whose prevalence continues to rise, was described last year as the "new epidemic" in cardiovascular disease, even though AF can be successfully controlled by the detection and management of risk factors, by rhythm control treatments, and by the use of antithrombotic therapies.

29 Oct 2012

TB testing: today as good as 2-day

Same-day sputum smear microscopy is as effective as standard smear microscopy for the detection of pulmonary tuberculosis, according to a review commissioned by the World Health Organization.

26 Oct 2012

Universal approach to MRSA-prevention in ICU is most effective

Universal decolonization of all patients admitted to intensive care units using chlorhexidine baths and mupirocin treatment for 5 days significantly reduces the risk for infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus , report researchers.

26 Oct 2012