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.

Concurrent use of proton-pump inhibitor and clopidogrel does not elevate cardiovascular risk

Heart patients who took a stomach acid-suppressing proton-pump inhibitor along with clopidogrel - a drug that prevents blood clots - were only half as likely to be hospitalized for upper digestive tract bleeding than those who used clopidogrel alone, according to a new study supported by HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health.

16 Mar 2010

New cerebral protection device prevents stroke during treatment to clear blocked carotid arteries

An important interventional radiology advancement-the use of a new cerebral protection device in combination with FDA-approved carotid stents in high-surgical-risk patients-provides a minimally invasive, safe and effective way to prevent stroke from occurring during treatment to clear blocked carotid arteries, according to research released at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 35th Annual Scientific Meeting in Tampa, Fla.

16 Mar 2010

Drug-eluting stents offer new hope to patients with critical limb ischemia

In the United States, more than 100,000 amputations are performed each year on individuals with critical limb ischemia, the most severe form of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). The number one priority in treating these patients is to re-establish blood flow to avoid limb amputation.

16 Mar 2010

EXPLORE-Xa study: Betrixaban reduces CRNM bleeds compared to dose-adjusted warfarin

Portola Pharmaceuticals and Merck today announced the results of EXPLORE-Xa, a Phase 2 exploratory, dose finding study of betrixaban, an investigational oral direct Factor Xa inhibitor. Results showed that a once-daily dose of oral betrixaban, given to patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter and at least one risk factor for stroke, reduced the incidence of major and clinically relevant non-major (CRNM) bleeds compared to dose-adjusted warfarin.

16 Mar 2010

Simcere Pharmaceutical Group report 15.5% sequential growth in fourth quarter revenues

Simcere Pharmaceutical Group, a leading pharmaceutical company specializing in the development, manufacturing, and marketing of branded generic and proprietary pharmaceuticals in China, today reported unaudited financial results for the quarter and the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009.

16 Mar 2010

High ABI may indicate risk for future heart attacks

The prevalence of abnormal ankle-brachial index (ABI) test results among individuals tested for peripheral arterial disease (PAD)—and who are not considered at high risk of a coronary heart event by Framingham-based risk factors—is high and provides another way to identify those who may be at risk for future heart attacks, say researchers at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 35th Annual Scientific Meeting in Tampa, Fla.

15 Mar 2010

Medtronic announces positive STOP AF clinical trial data at 59th American College of Cardiology session

Medtronic, Inc. today announced data from the STOP AF (Sustained Treatment of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation) clinical trial during late-breaking sessions at the 59th Annual Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology in Atlanta. The data showed superiority over anti-arrhythmic drugs, with 69.9 percent of patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) treated with the Arctic Front® Cardiac CryoAblation Catheter System remaining free of atrial fibrillation (AF) one year after cryoablation, compared to 7.3 percent on drug therapy.

15 Mar 2010

CytRx plans five Phase 2 clinical trials with oncology drug candidates

CytRx Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company specializing in oncology, today reported financial results for the twelve months ended December 31, 2009, and affirmed its 2010 milestones of commencing up to five Phase 2 clinical trials with its oncology drug candidates.

15 Mar 2010

Valsartan delays progression to type 2 diabetes in IGT patients: NAVIGATOR study

Results from a landmark study involving more than 9,000 people showed that the high blood pressure medicine valsartan delayed progression to type 2 diabetes in patients with cardiovascular disease or risk factors and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), a common pre-diabetic condition.

15 Mar 2010

Mitral regurgitation: MitraClip safe, effective alternative option to open heart surgery

NorthShore University HealthSystem (NorthShore) interventional cardiologist, Ted Feldman, MD, presented data today at the American College of Cardiology annual scientific sessions from the EVEREST II trial (Endovascular Valve Edge-to-Edge REpair STudy) demonstrating the MitraClip, a novel, first-in-class catheter-based device, is a safe and effective alternative to open heart surgery for select patients with mitral regurgitation.

15 Mar 2010

New trial comparing drug-eluting stents to bypass graft surgery in left main coronary artery disease patients

The announcement of a new clinical trial, EXCEL (Evaluation of Xience Prime versus Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery for Effectiveness of Left Main Revascularization), that will compare drug-eluting stents to coronary artery bypass graft surgery in patients with left main coronary artery disease, was made today at "Optimizing PCI Outcomes: Evolving Paradigms," a symposium presented by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation.

15 Mar 2010

Data from ACCORD Lipid study: Abbott issues statement

Results were presented today on behalf of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute from ACCORD, a study in patients with diabetes that evaluated cardiovascular outcomes in three distinct studies – glycemic control, blood pressure control and lipid control.

15 Mar 2010

U.S. prescribing information for PLAVIX revised

Sanofi-aventis U.S. and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company today announced revisions to the U.S. prescribing information for PLAVIX® (clopidogrel bisulfate), which include a boxed warning. The boxed warning concerns the diminished effectiveness of PLAVIX in patients who have a genetic variation leading to reduced formation of the active metabolite.

15 Mar 2010

Researchers develop Intermountain Risk Score tool to assess patients' health

Researchers from the Heart Institute at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, Utah, have devised a better way to determine an individual's risk for problems, such as heart attack and heart failure, according to a new study.

15 Mar 2010

Data shows increased risk of heart attack, stroke for patients having high blood pressure

For patients with diabetes and heart disease, less isn't always more - at least when it comes to blood pressure.

15 Mar 2010

Supplementing vitamin D in people with low levels may have different effects based on patient race

Vitamin D is quickly becoming the "go-to" remedy for treating a wide range of illnesses, from osteoporosis to atherosclerosis. However, new evidence from a Wake Forest University School of Medicine study suggests that supplementing vitamin D in those with low levels may have different effects based on patient race and, in black individuals, the supplement could actually do harm.

15 Mar 2010

Combination therapy does not reduce cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetes patients

Lowering blood pressure to normal levels - below currently recommended levels - did not significantly reduce the combined risk of fatal or nonfatal cardiovascular disease events in adults with type 2 diabetes who were at especially high risk for cardiovascular disease events, according to new results from the landmark Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) clinical trial.

15 Mar 2010

Medtronic commences clinical evaluation of CoreValve transcatheter aortic valve system

Moving to expand the evidence base for the future of structural heart disease therapy, Medtronic, Inc., today announced the start of the first of several new initiatives in a robust international clinical program for its CoreValve transcatheter aortic valve system, a minimally-invasive alternative to open-heart surgery for aortic valve replacement.

15 Mar 2010

Brain Science Institute, Eisai sign licensing agreement to develop GCPII inhibitors

Johns Hopkins University's newly formed Brain Science Institute's NeuroTranslational Program has entered into a licensing agreement with pharmaceutical company Eisai Inc. to discover and develop small molecule glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII) inhibitors.

15 Mar 2010

FDA warns patients and physicians about the efficacy of Plavix treatment

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today added a boxed warning to the anti-blood clotting drug Plavix (clopidogrel), alerting patients and health care professionals that the drug can be less effective in people who cannot metabolize the drug to convert it to its active form.

15 Mar 2010

Stroke News and Research

Further Reading

Concurrent use of proton-pump inhibitor and clopidogrel does not elevate cardiovascular risk

New cerebral protection device prevents stroke during treatment to clear blocked carotid arteries

Drug-eluting stents offer new hope to patients with critical limb ischemia

EXPLORE-Xa study: Betrixaban reduces CRNM bleeds compared to dose-adjusted warfarin

Simcere Pharmaceutical Group report 15.5% sequential growth in fourth quarter revenues

High ABI may indicate risk for future heart attacks

Medtronic announces positive STOP AF clinical trial data at 59th American College of Cardiology session

CytRx plans five Phase 2 clinical trials with oncology drug candidates

Valsartan delays progression to type 2 diabetes in IGT patients: NAVIGATOR study

Mitral regurgitation: MitraClip safe, effective alternative option to open heart surgery

New trial comparing drug-eluting stents to bypass graft surgery in left main coronary artery disease patients

Data from ACCORD Lipid study: Abbott issues statement

U.S. prescribing information for PLAVIX revised

Researchers develop Intermountain Risk Score tool to assess patients' health

Data shows increased risk of heart attack, stroke for patients having high blood pressure

Supplementing vitamin D in people with low levels may have different effects based on patient race

Combination therapy does not reduce cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetes patients

Medtronic commences clinical evaluation of CoreValve transcatheter aortic valve system

Brain Science Institute, Eisai sign licensing agreement to develop GCPII inhibitors

FDA warns patients and physicians about the efficacy of Plavix treatment

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