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.

Nation's top hospitals for emergency medical care

A report released today by HealthGrades, the leading provider of information to help consumers make an informed decision about a physician or hospital, identified the nation's top performing hospital for emergency medical care. The analysis also found large differences in the risk adjusted mortality rates for patients admitted through the Emergency Department, both by hospital and by market area.

21 Feb 2012

Infant colic may be an early sign of migraine headache later in life

New research suggests that mothers who experience migraine may be more likely to have a baby with colic than mothers without a history of migraine. Colic is defined as excessive crying in an otherwise healthy infant. The research was released today and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 64th Annual Meeting in New Orleans April 21 to April 28, 2012.

21 Feb 2012

Intraoperative monitoring of spinal cord may help prevent paralysis

The American Academy of Neurology is issuing an updated guideline that recommends monitoring the spinal cord during spinal surgery and certain chest surgeries to help prevent paralysis, or loss of muscle function, related to the surgeries.

21 Feb 2012

Screening events to find out risk for heart attack or stroke

If you could find out if you had an increased risk of heart attack or stroke, wouldn't you want to know? Even if you are fit and healthy, coronary artery disease (CAD) or peripheral artery disease (PAD) are conditions with little to no symptoms and can put you at an increased risk of heart attack or stroke.

20 Feb 2012

Clazosentan drug shows promise against TBI in rats

A new drug is showing promise in shielding against the harmful effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in rats, according to a study that was released today and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 64th Annual Meeting in New Orleans April 21 to April 28, 2012.

19 Feb 2012

Slow walk and poor grip may predict dementia and stroke

According to U.S. researchers the speed of a person’s walk may predict the likelihood of developing dementia later in life. They also told a conference that grip strength in middle-age was linked to the chance of a stroke. The scientists said more studies were needed to understand the connection.

18 Feb 2012

Study: Thrombolytic therapy can be safely used in children with stroke

New research looks at whether clot-busting drugs can safely be given to children who have strokes. The research was released today and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 64th Annual Meeting in New Orleans April 21 to April 28, 2012.

18 Feb 2012

Adherence rates for hypertension medications lower among African-American patients

Racial disparities in hypertension control account for nearly 8,000 preventable deaths annually among African-Americans, making increased blood pressure control among African-Americans a "compelling goal," reported Lisa M. Lewis, PhD, RN, of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing in the Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing.

18 Feb 2012

Scientists produce mathematical model of calcium activity within atrial heart cell

What we perceive as the beating of our heart is actually the co-ordinated action of more than a billion muscle cells. Most of the time, only the muscle cells from the larger heart chambers contract and relax. But when the heart needs to work harder it relies on back-up from the atrial muscle cells deep within the smaller chambers (atria) of the heart.

18 Feb 2012

Women with heart problems at higher cancer risk after Omega-3 and vitamin B supplementation

However, women with a previous history of cardiovascular pathologies seem to have a higher cancer risk after five years of supplementation. The research is published in detail in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

18 Feb 2012

AHF criticizes Obama administration for global AIDS budget

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) today criticized the Obama administration, which—in a shocking repudiation of nearly thirty years of progress against the global AIDS pandemic—last Monday unveiled a global AIDS budget that takes the unprecedented step of reducing AIDS funding by approximately $214 million in fiscal year 2013. Never before has a President sought to actually reduce America's commitment to fighting the AIDS epidemic globally.

18 Feb 2012

DASH II app to optimise stroke care and improve patient outcomes

The Newcastle team who helped develop the FAST system to identify a stroke are now piloting an app to ensure the best treatment for stroke patients.

18 Feb 2012

IHP, PFCD organize expert roundtable on NCDs at New Delhi

India Health Progress (IHP) in association with Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) today organized an expert roundtable on 'Non-Communicable Diseases Burden in India: Strategizing the Way Forward' at Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi.

17 Feb 2012

Midazolam autoinjector pen more effective in treating status epilepticus

Results have just been released from an NIH study conducted at multiple sites, including the University of Kentucky, indicating that an autoinjector pen is a faster and possibly more effective way for emergency medical personnel to treat serious seizures.

17 Feb 2012

People experience eating problems and risk of malnutrition three months after stroke

People who suffered a stroke continued to experience eating problems and more than half still risked malnutrition after three months, even though there had been a marked improvement in most of their physical functions.

17 Feb 2012

Intramuscular midazolam effective in treating status epilepticus

Drug delivery directly into muscle using an autoinjector is faster and may be more effective in stopping prolonged seizures, according to a study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and conducted by a Wayne State University School of Medicine researcher.

17 Feb 2012

UC San Diego offers catheter ablation for patients with atrial fibrillation

UC San Diego Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center is now offering patients with atrial fibrillation the breakthrough benefits of heat energy, or radio frequency waves, to irreversibly alter heart tissue that triggers an abnormal heart rhythm or arrhythmia.

17 Feb 2012

Long-term weight training may benefit Parkinson's disease patients

New research suggests weight training for two years significantly improves the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease compared to other forms of exercise such as stretching and balance exercises. The clinical trial, which compared two forms of exercise for Parkinson's disease, was released today and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 64th Annual Meeting in New Orleans April 21 to April 28, 2012.

17 Feb 2012

Study to quantify benefits of aerobic exercise in managing Parkinson's symptoms

Daniel Corcos has studied Parkinson's disease for more than 20 years. For most of the past 10, he has focused on the effects of exercise. "It became obvious several years ago that exercise really was good for people with Parkinson's disease," said Corcos, who is professor of kinesiology and nutrition at the University of Illinois at Chicago. "Not only is it good for the heart, the brain, and muscles in the same way it is for healthy people, it also modifies signs and symptoms of Parkinson's disease."

17 Feb 2012