RxPG News : Stroke

Spreading depolarisation after a stroke- warning sign

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:06:06 PST

After a stroke, even unaffected areas of the brain are at risk – depolarization waves arise at the edges of the dead tissue and spread through the adjacent areas of the brain. If these waves are repeated, more cells die. This has previously been observed only in animal studies. A clinical study at the university hospitals of Heidelberg and Cologne along with the Max Planck Institute of Neurological Research in Cologne has shown for the first time that this phenomenon occurs after a stroke in humans and is a warning sign that more nerve cells will die.

Anti-estrogen drug therapy reduces risk of invasive breast cancer in older women

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

New analysis of a drug approved for osteoporosis prevention and treatment has provided definitive evidence that the medication is also effective as a breast cancer preventative for certain cancers. Women who took the drug raloxifene were less likely to develop invasive, estrogen-receptor (ER) positive breast cancer compared with women who did not take the drug. The results of the randomized controlled trial will be published in the June 10 online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

New guidelines for treating resistant hypertension

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Resistant hypertension, blood pressure that remains above goal despite taking three antihypertensive medications or high blood pressure that is controlled but requires four or more medications to do so, may benefit from specialized diagnostic and therapeutic treatment by health care providers according to guidelines issued by the American Heart Association and co-authored by UAB physicians.

USC awareded $12.4 million to spearhead stroke survivors rehabilitation project

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

The University of Southern California is taking the lead to address rehabilitation therapy and how it can improve the quality of life for stroke survivors. Each year, about 700,000 people in the United States experience first or recurrent attacks of stroke.

Surgeons announce advance in atrial fibrillation surgery

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PST

Heart surgeons at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report that by adding a simple 10-20 second step to an operative procedure they achieved a significant improvement in the outcome for the surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF).

Scientists find a key culprit in stroke brain cell damage

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 04:00:00 PST

Researchers have identified a key player in the killing of brain cells after a stroke or a seizure. The protein asparagine endopeptidase (AEP) unleashes enzymes that break down brain cells' DNA, scientists at Emory University School of Medicine have found.

WHI follow-up study: Risks of long-term hormone therapy continue to outweigh benefits

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 05:00:00 PST

New results from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) confirm that the health risks of long-term use of combination (estrogen plus progestin) hormone therapy in healthy, postmenopausal women persist even a few years after stopping the drugs and clearly outweigh the benefits. Researchers report that about three years after women stopped taking combination hormone therapy, many of the health effects of hormones such as increased risk of heart disease are diminished, but overall risks, including risks of stroke, blood clots, and cancer, remain high. The WHI is sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Reduction of stroke risk with aerobic fitness

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 06:27:29 PST

A moderate level of aerobic fitness can significantly reduce stroke risk for men and women, according to a large, long-running study presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2008.

Research shows a daily dose of beetroot juice can beat high blood pressure

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 05:40:00 PST

Researchers at Barts and The London School of Medicine have discovered that drinking just 500ml of beetroot juice a day can significantly reduce blood pressure. The study, published online today in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension, could have major implications for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Weill Cornell team discovers how brain's own tPA helps regulate blood flow to neurons

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 05:00:00 PST

NEW YORK (Jan. 17, 2008) -- The human brain contains its own store of a powerful enzyme (and stroke drug) called tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), which appears to be a key regulator of blood flow to brain cells, a team at the Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City reports.

Carotid artery stenting- questions still remain

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 13:34:52 PST

A procedure called carotid artery stenting (CAS) has emerged as a minimally invasive alternative to surgery, called carotid endarterectomy (CEA), for patients with dangerous narrowing of the arteries supplying blood to the brain. However, questions remain about the best uses of this procedure—especially whether it is an appropriate alternative to surgery for "low-risk" patients, according to a special article in the January/February issue of Annals of Vascular Surgery.

Robotics lab helps stroke patients with recovery

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 05:00:00 PST

HOUSTON, Dec. 4, 2007 -- Robotics engineers at Rice University are teaming with doctors from Memorial Hermann|TIRR to develop a PC-based system for physical rehabilitation.

Women aren't men

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 05:00:00 PST

CHICAGO --- Women's bodies and medical needs are vastly different than men's way beyond their reproductive systems. Women wake sooner from anesthesia, have less familiar symptoms of cardiovascular disease and are more likely to suffer from depression and sleep problems-- just to name a few of the differences.

2 carotid artery stenting studies show results comparable to AHA guidelines

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

Washington D.C., October 23, 2007 - Two carotid stenting trials examining patient outcomes demonstrated results that are comparable to guidelines established by the American Heart Association (AHA) for patients treated with carotid artery surgery. The results of these studies were presented today at the Cardiovascular Research Foundation's 19th annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium by William A. Gray, M.D., FACC, associate professor of clinical medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and director of Endovascular Services at the Center for Interventional Vascular Therapy at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center in New York. Dr. Gray is the director of Endovascular Services at the Cardiovascular Research Foundation.

Study explains how exercise lowers cardiovascular risk

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

DALLAS, Oct. 23 �� It��s well known that physical activity can improve cardiovascular health. But it��s the impact exercise has on specific known risk factors that accounts for about 60 percent of that improvement, researchers reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

Horizons AMI trial data to be presented at TCT 2007

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

WASHINGTON, DC � OCTOBER 15, 2007 -- The Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) will release results of its landmark research study, HORIZONS AMI (Harmonizing Outcomes with Revascularization and Stents in Acute Myocardial Infarction) at the nineteenth annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium in Washington, D.C. The study is designed to examine the safety and effectiveness of stents and anticoagulants in heart attack patients undergoing angioplasty.

Chronic job strain doubles the risk of a second heart attack

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

Quebec City, October 9, 2007�People who experience chronic job strain after a first heart attack double their risk of suffering from a second one, reports a research team from Universit� Laval�s Faculty of Medicine in the October 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Treating obstructive sleep apnea, preventing heart attacks and strokes

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

Researchers in Brazil have found that treating patients who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) dramatically reduces early indications of atherosclerosis in just months, linking OSA directly to the hardening or narrowing of the arteries. Until now, no study has demonstrated such a direct relationship between the two.

Possible safer target for anti-clotting drugs found

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine have identified a new molecular target in blood clot formation, which seems to reduce clotting without excessive bleeding, the common side-effect of anti-clotting agents.

Murder mystery solved

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

CHICAGO --- It was a murder mystery playing out in major cities across the country and perplexing scientists. Thousands of people were dying from strokes and heart attacks within 24 hours of a spike in microscopic pollution -- tiny particles that spew from the exhaust of diesel trucks, buses and coal-burning factories.

New research shows ACTOS is associated with a 38 percent lower risk of heart attack

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Sept. 19, 2007 -- New research, including two studies presented this week at the 43rd Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), further support the cardiovascular safety of ACTOS (pioglitazone HCI) and its benefits regarding improved blood glucose and blood lipid levels for patients with type 2 diabetes. The unique outcomes, including some clinical practice results, reinforce the consistency of pioglitazone data and underscore that ACTOS has different effects from the other thiazolidinedione rosiglitazone due to differences in molecular structure.

New therapy could preserve vessel function after heart attack

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

COLUMBUS , Ohio � Scientists have identified the process that causes blood vessels to constrict during and after a heart attack. They've also demonstrated that delivering a vital molecule that is depleted during this process directly to those blood vessels can reverse damage and help restore blood flow.

Study finds blocking angiogenesis signaling from inside cell may lead to serious health problems

Thu, 23 Aug 2007 04:00:00 PST

Angiogenesis inhibitors that block a tumor�s development of an independent blood supply have been touted as effective cancer fighters that result in fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy. However, a new study by researchers at UCLA�s Jonsson Cancer Center showed that one method of blocking blood supply development could result in serious and potentially deadly side effects.

Broad-based group of physicians calls for improvement in stroke treatment

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 04:00:00 PST

(August 21, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, DC) � A coalition of physicians representing a wide range of medical specialties has issued a call to action to improve the treatment of stroke. The group, which includes nationally recognized leaders in neurology, neuroradiology, neurosurgery, vascular surgery, and cardiology, was drawn together by the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) to address one of the most pressing medical needs in this country�the rapid treatment of stroke using catheter-based techniques.

New research discovers independent brain networks control human walking

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 04:00:00 PST

(Baltimore, MD) - In a study published in the August issue of Nature Neuroscience, researchers at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Maryland found that there are separate adaptable networks controlling each leg and there are also separate networks controlling leg movements, e.g., forward or backward walking. These findings are contrary to the currently accepted theory that leg movements and adaptations are directed by a single control circuit in the brain. The ability to train the right and left legs independently opens the door to new therapeutic approaches for correcting walking abilities in patients with brain injury (e.g., stroke) and neurological disorders (e.g., cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis).

UCLA study links air pollution to clogged arteries

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PST

Got high cholesterol? You might want to stay away from air pollution.

'Preconditioning' helps protect brain's blood vessels from stroke

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PST

NEW YORK (July 17, 2007) -- Challenging brain tissue with a small noxious stimulus beforehand gives it a resilience that can lessen damage to blood vessels during a stroke, report researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City.

Bak protein sets stressed cells on suicide path, researchers show

Thu, 12 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PST

When a cell is seriously stressed, say by a heart attack, stroke or cancer, a protein called Bak just may set it up for suicide, researchers have found.

High blood pressure medication strategy proves effective in Hispanic women

Thu, 12 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PST

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Hispanic women with hypertension and coronary artery disease respond better to drug regimens aimed at controlling high blood pressure than non-Hispanic white women, University of Florida researchers report.

Method to prevent hemorrhagic complications of thrombolytic therapy of blood clots is discovered

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PST

A novel method to prevent hemorrhagic complications of thrombolytic therapy of blood clots is discovered.

Pneumonia- major cause for re-admission after strokes

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 11:35:46 PST

Stroke is a leading cause of hospital admission among older adults. Yet more hospital readmissions after stroke are for pneumonia or for heart disease than for another stroke, according to a study published in the June 2007 issue of the journal Stroke.

More women than men having mid-life stroke

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 04:00:00 PST

ST. PAUL, Minn -- More women than men appear to be having a stroke in middle age, according to a study published June 20, 2007, in the online edition of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Researchers say heart disease and increased waist size may be contributing to this apparent mid-life stroke surge among women.

Postmenopausal hormone therapy and coronary disease -- the truth of the matter

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 04:00:00 PST

With each new publication of coronary artery disease (CAD) data from the Womens Health Initiative (WHI) study, the inevitable reaction is Why on earth did the WHI investigators claim in 20022004 that postmenopausal hormone therapy has deleterious effects on the risk for CAD, when, from the beginning, they were aware of the importance of the age factor in this clinical scenario. Women in the age group of 5059 years who participated in the estrogen-alone arm of the WHI study were asked immediately after the early cessation of the trial to become part of an ancillary study the WHI-CACS which looked at the magnitude of coronary calcifications measured by ultra-fast coronary CT. Coronary calcium deposits develop as part of the atherosclerosis process and correlate well with findings of coronary angiography.

Standards for measuring narrowing of carotid arteries too aggressive

Thu, 07 Jun 2007 04:00:00 PST

Standards for the use of ultrasound as a screening tool to measure narrowing of the carotid artery may be too aggressive, resulting in some needless follow-up tests and procedures according to researchers at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Narrowing of the carotid can be a precursor to a stroke.

New clues to stroke role in Alzheimer's

Wed, 06 Jun 2007 04:00:00 PST

Researchers have discovered key details of how stroke or traumatic brain injury can trigger Alzheimers disease (AD) by enhancing formation of brain-clogging amyloid plaques. Their experiments established that executioner enzymes that kill brain cells during stroke or head trauma also interfere with the normal disposal of an enzyme that helps generate plaque. This interference increases the level of the enzyme in brain cells, they found.

Study outlines how stroke, head injury can increase risk of Alzheimer's disease

Wed, 06 Jun 2007 04:00:00 PST

Researchers from the MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disorders (MGH-MIND) have discovered how the death of brain cells caused by a stroke or head injury may cause generation of amyloid-beta protein the key component of senile plaques seen in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease. Their report appears in the June 7 issue of the journal Neuron.

3-D fusion: A better way to image heart disease

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 04:00:00 PST

WASHINGTON, D.C.Technically advanced molecular imaging provides a 3-D way to significantly improve the diagnosis of heart disease, according to researchers at the 54th Annual Meeting of SNM, the world's largest molecular imaging and nuclear medicine society.

Combining molecular imaging technologies to stop/prevent heart attacks

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 04:00:00 PST

WASHINGTON, D.C.The use of combined imaging technologies may hold the key to stoppingand even preventingheart attacks, according to research reported at the 54th Annual Meeting of SNM, the world's largest society for molecular imaging and nuclear medicine professionals.

PET/CT use expands: Effectively diagnosing graft infections

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 04:00:00 PST

WASHINGTON, D.C.Removing infected vascular grafts in patients involves a complex surgical procedure with high risks. Molecular imaging with positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) effectively diagnoses and differentiates infection, noted Israeli researchers at the 54th Annual Meeting of SNM, the world's largest society for molecular imaging and nuclear medicine professionals.

Fusing imaging technologies creates 'synergy,' helps diagnose heart disease accurately

Sun, 03 Jun 2007 04:00:00 PST

WASHINGTON, D.C.To fight heart disease, you have to get to the heart of the problem by diagnosing it more accurately. Researchers did just that, releasing their findings at SNM's 54th Annual Meeting June 26 in Washington, D.C. SNM is the world's largest society for molecular imaging and nuclear medicine professionals.

Limiting stroke damage is focus of study

Wed, 30 May 2007 04:00:00 PST

Brain damage that occurs even days after a stroke, increasing stroke size and devastation, is the focus of researchers trying to identify new treatments.

Lowering body temperature could aid standard stroke treatment

Sun, 20 May 2007 04:00:00 PST

University of Cincinnati (UC) scientists have developed a model that could help physicians combine current clot-busting medication with below-normal body temperatures (hypothermia) to improve the treatment of ischemic stroke patients.

UCLA Stroke Center receives American Stroke Association's Initial Achievement Award

Thu, 17 May 2007 04:00:00 PST

The UCLA Stroke Center recently received the American Stroke Association's Get With The GuidelinesStroke Initial Performance Achievement Award.

A self-fulfilling prophecy in bleeding stroke?

Mon, 14 May 2007 04:00:00 PST

ANN ARBOR, Mich. Each year, tens of thousands of people receive a dreaded diagnosis: intracerebral hemorrhage, or a bleeding stroke. Caused by a burst blood vessel in the brain, ICH kills a quarter of patients in two days, and up to half of them within 30 days. And there's no approved specific medical treatment for it -- though people can recover with specialized hospital care.

Patients with 'bleeding' strokes less likely to get prevention treatment

Thu, 10 May 2007 04:00:00 PST

WASHINGTON, May 10 Patients with a hemorrhagic (bleeding) stroke are significantly less likely to receive medications and counseling to prevent recurrent strokes compared to patients with an ischemic (clot-caused) stroke, researchers reported at the American Heart Association's 8th Scientific Forum on Quality of Care and Outcomes Research in Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke.

Cause of gender differences in blood pressure, kidney damage under study

Wed, 02 May 2007 04:00:00 PST

While men and women both get high blood pressure and related kidney disease, the path to get there is shorter, steeper and just different for men, researchers say.

How the brain's backup system compensates for stroke

Wed, 02 May 2007 04:00:00 PST

Researchers have pinpointed in humans how a backup brain region springs into action to compensate for disruption of a primary functional area, as happens during stroke. Their finding offers new insight into how the brains of stroke victims can quickly reorganize to enable the beginning of recovery of movement.

New treatments have major impact on heart failure rates

Tue, 01 May 2007 04:00:00 PST

Deaths from severe heart attacks following admission to hospital have nearly halved in six years as a result of advances in medical treatment.

Good news on heart attack and chest pain

Tue, 01 May 2007 04:00:00 PST

ANN ARBOR, Mich. People who suffer a heart attack or severe chest pain today are much less likely to die, or to experience long-lasting effects, than their counterparts even a few years ago, according to a new international study in the May 3 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Exercise science principles strengthen swallowing rehabilitation

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 04:00:00 PST

Just thinking about swallowing makes it harder to do.

Depression may trigger diabetes in older adults

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 04:00:00 PST

CHICAGO -- Chronic depression or depression that worsens over time may cause diabetes in older adults, according to new Northwestern University research.

Screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms saves men's lives

Tue, 17 Apr 2007 04:00:00 PST

Regular ultrasound screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms can sharply reduce the likelihood of dying from a ruptured aneurysm among men age 65 and older, according to a new review of recent studies.

Carnegie Mellon University research shows how sensory-deprived brain compensates

Tue, 17 Apr 2007 04:00:00 PST

PITTSBURGH -- Whiskers provide a mouse with essential information to negotiate a burrow or detect movement that could signal a predator's presence. These stiff hairs relay sensory input to the brain, which shapes neuronal activity. In a first, studies of this system by Carnegie Mellon scientists show just how well a mouse brain can compensate when limited to sensing the world through one whisker. Published April 4 in the Journal of Neuroscience, the results should help shape future studies of sensory deprivation that results from stroke or traumatic brain injury, say the authors.

Tracing broken wiring in stroke patients

Wed, 14 Mar 2007 04:00:00 PST

Researchers have used a technique to trace the functional disruption in brain circuitry that causes stroke patients to show a lack of awareness or response to the side of the body opposite to the side of the stroke lesion in the brain. The researchers said their findings shed new light on the neurological details of this spatial neglect. Their findings also demonstrate the value of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique for studying how disruption in brain circuitry produces behavioral symptoms.

Stroke patients admitted to hospitals on weekends may be more likely to die

Thu, 08 Mar 2007 05:00:00 PST

Patients admitted to hospitals for ischemic stroke on weekends had a higher risk of dying than patients admitted during the week, in a Canadian study published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.

Hypertension experts clash over TROPHY study results

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 05:00:00 PST

When the results of a major long-term, multicenter study, the Trial of Preventing Hypertension (TROPHY), were called into question in two editorials published in the November 2006 issue of the American Journal of Hypertension (AJH), it was inevitable that an exchange of views between the study's supporters and detractors would occur. The essential issue is whether the TROPHY data support the conclusions reported in the New England Journal of Medicine. The March issue of the American Journal of Hypertension publishes a response from TROPHY study investigators Stevo Julius, MD, ScD, Brent M. Egan, MD, and M. Anthony Schork, PhD, defending the work, while authors of the original AJH editorials, Dr. Stephen Persell, Dr. David W. Baker and Dr. Jay I. Meltzer provide further information to support their earlier observations and indicate that their original criticisms remain unaddressed.

Pregnant smokers raise their child's risk of stroke, heart attack

Fri, 02 Mar 2007 05:00:00 PST

ORLANDO, Fla., March 2 -- Women who smoke during pregnancy can cause permanent vascular damage in their children increasing their risk for stroke and heart attack, researchers said today at the American Heart Associations 47th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention.

Pulse pressure identified as important risk factor for atrial fibrillation

Tue, 20 Feb 2007 05:00:00 PST

Increased pulse pressure (the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure) appears to be an important predictor of the risk for new onset atrial fibrillation, according to a study in the February 21 issue of JAMA.

Learning to prevent medical mistakes in caring for stroke patients

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 05:00:00 PST

ST. PAUL, Minn Medical errors and adverse events can happen in patients with stroke, and hospital procedures need to be modified to reduce the likelihood of error and patients getting hurt, according to a study published in the February 20, 2007, issue of Neurology®, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

AIM to treat post- stroke depression

Fri, 16 Feb 2007 14:00:59 PST

Activating patients and developing a monitoring and evaluation system was highly effective in ending or reducing post-stroke depression in patients enrolled in the largest randomized clinical trial to date for this prevalent and disabling consequence of stroke.

Taking AIM at post-stroke depression

Fri, 16 Feb 2007 05:00:00 PST

INDIANAPOLIS Activating patients and developing a monitoring and evaluation system was highly effective in ending or reducing post-stroke depression in patients enrolled in the largest randomized clinical trial to date for this prevalent and disabling consequence of stroke.

Alzheimer's gene raises newborns' cerebral palsy risk

Mon, 05 Feb 2007 05:00:00 PST

CHICAGO --- Apolipoprotein E (APOE), a gene associated with heightened risk for Alzheimer's disease in adults, can also increase the likelihood that brain-injured newborns will develop cerebral palsy, researchers at Children's Memorial Research Center have discovered.

MR angiography highly accurate in detecting blocked arteries

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 05:00:00 PST

OAK BROOK, Ill. A novel type of contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) angiography is highly accurate in identifying blockages in the arteries that carry blood to the brain, according to a study in the February issue of Radiology.

Updated rates of common US neurological disorders

Mon, 29 Jan 2007 05:00:00 PST

ST. PAUL, Minn -- In an up-to-date review of most of the common neurological disorders in the United States published in the January 30, 2007, issue of Neurology®, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology, researchers reviewed studies from nearly 500 articles published between 1990 and 2005 to determine the best available data.

NIH study finds MRI more sensitive than CT in diagnosing most common form of acute stroke

Fri, 26 Jan 2007 05:00:00 PST

Results from the most comprehensive study to compare two imaging techniques for the emergency diagnosis of suspected acute stroke show that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide a more sensitive diagnosis than computed tomography (CT) for acute ischemic stroke. The difference between MRI and CT was attributable to MRI's superiority for detection of acute ischemic strokethe most common form of stroke, caused by a blood clot. The study was conducted by physicians at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Findings appear in the January 27, 2007 edition of The Lancet .

Study finds differences between blood pressure medicines and newly-diagnosed diabetes

Fri, 19 Jan 2007 05:00:00 PST

Patients with high blood pressure are more likely to develop new-onset diabetes than those who don't have hypertension, but this tendency is often attributed to higher weight, recent weight gain, or stronger family history of diabetes among those with high blood pressure Doctors have known since 1958 that some drugs used to control high blood pressure have the side effect of increasing blood sugar and causing new-onset diabetes.

Health providers could save billions without compromising health care says drug study

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 05:00:00 PST

Switching patients to more cost-effective drugs for cholesterol and blood pressure problems could save the UK's National Health Service a billion pounds over the next five years without compromising clinical care, according to a study in the January issue of IJCP, the International Journal of Clinical Practice.

Men with hypertension who drink moderate amounts of alcohol may have a lower risk of heart attack

Mon, 01 Jan 2007 05:00:00 PST

Boston, MA -- Hypertension affects some 65 million people in the United States, making it a massive public health burden. It's associated with a twofold increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and total mortality. Studies have shown that moderate consumption of alcohol, up to a limit of one to two drinks a day, may decrease the risk of CVD and total mortality. Drinking more than two drinks a day, however, may increase the risk of hypertension.

Study identifies glucose 'sensor' that plays dual role in glucose metabolism and fat synthesis

Tue, 26 Dec 2006 05:00:00 PST

In the study, glucose is shown to stimulate the activity of the Liver X Receptors (LXR) a and b, The LXRs act as sensors of dietary components, orchestrating the body's response to nutrients such as oxysterols (short-lived derivatives of cholesterol) and controlling gene expression linked to cholesterol and fat metabolism.

Genetic mechanism helps explain chronic pain disorders

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 05:00:00 PST

CHAPEL HILL - Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have discovered that commonly occurring variations of a gene trigger a domino effect in chronic pain disorders. The finding might lead to more effective treatments for temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD) and other chronic pain conditions.

Cellular cues identified for stroke recovery

Thu, 21 Dec 2006 05:00:00 PST

When a stroke strikes, the supply of blood to the part of the brain affected is interrupted, starving it of oxygen. Brain cells can be seriously damaged or die, impairing local brain function.

Ability of biomarkers to predict risk of heart disease, stroke appears limited

Wed, 20 Dec 2006 05:00:00 PST

A study of the use of biomarkers to predict the risk of cardiovascular disease and death in an apparently healthy population has found that, even though some measurements are associated with future cardiovascular events, their usefulness for predicting risk in individuals may be limited. The report from the Framingham Heart Study appears in the Dec. 21 New England Journal of Medicine.

Olive oil emulsion helps with problem heart arteries

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 05:00:00 PST

(PHILADELPHIA).An emulsion of olive oil, egg yolk and glycerine might be just the recipe to keep heart patients away from the operating room and cardiac bypass surgery.

Recurrence of silent brain lesions after initial stroke may predict subsequent stroke

Mon, 11 Dec 2006 05:00:00 PST

Asymptomatic brain lesions that recur on brain scans within three months of a patients initial stroke may predict subsequent stroke, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

New research shows big improvement in survival after stroke

Mon, 11 Dec 2006 05:00:00 PST

A new research report by The George Institute for International Health, in collaboration with Auckland City Hospital and The University of Auckland, has revealed a 40% decline in the number of deaths after stroke in the total population of Auckland, New Zealand over the past 25 years. The study attributes the improved survival rate to health care factors associated with an increase in hospital admission and brain imaging during the most severe phase of the illness.

Brain mapping may lead to better preventative measures for stroke

Tue, 05 Dec 2006 15:11:35 PST

A new study examines the usefulness of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), a process of scanning and mapping the brain, in establishing the relationship between abnormalities in the cardiovascular system and stroke. This research is helping to determine how a stroke develops. The study is published in current issue of Journal of Neuroimaging.

Newts which regrow their hearts

Tue, 05 Dec 2006 05:00:00 PST

When a newt loses a limb, the limb regrows. What is more, a newt can also completely repair damage to its heart. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research in Bad Nauheim have now started to decode the cellular mechanisms in this impressive ability to regenerate and have discovered the remarkable plasticity of newt heart cells. As mammals, and therefore also humans, do not have this ability, the findings could contribute to new cell therapies for patients with damaged organs (Journal of Cell Science, 2006).

Statins reduce risk of heart attack and stroke in those without heart disease

Mon, 27 Nov 2006 05:00:00 PST

Among individuals without cardiovascular disease, taking statins regularly may reduce the risk of major heart and cerebrovascular events such as heart attack and stroke but not coronary heart disease or overall death, according to a meta-analysis of previously published studies, reported in the November 27 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Younger stroke survivors have less access to medical care, medications

Mon, 13 Nov 2006 05:00:00 PST

Stroke survivors less than 65 years old report having more difficulty accessing physicians and affording medications than stroke survivors older than 65, according to an article posted online today that will appear in the January 2007 print issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

New Effort to Treat Stroke More Effectively

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 22:24:00 PST

Just a small fraction of patients who have a stroke receive the only drug TPA available to treat the condition. Now doctors and scientists at the University of Rochester Medical Center have developed a potential new treatment that will reach a milestone in the next few months, when the experimental treatment is tested for the first time in people who have suffered a stroke or brain attack.

Constraint-induced movement therapy is effective in rehabilitating stroke patients

Tue, 31 Oct 2006 05:00:00 PST

ATLANTA -- Stroke patients who receive constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT)Ña rehabilitative technique that restrains the less-impaired arm, show significant improvement in arm and hand function, according to a seven-center national study led by Emory University researchers. The findings will appear in the Nov. 1 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Rehabilitation technique for stroke patients effective in improving arm, hand movement

Tue, 31 Oct 2006 05:00:00 PST

Therapy that includes restraining the less-impaired arm or hand of a stroke patient appears effective in improving movement and functional use of the paralyzed arm or hand, according to a study in the November 1 issue of JAMA.

In most comprehensive study yet, two-week regimen helps stroke survivors regain arm control

Tue, 31 Oct 2006 05:00:00 PST

In the largest, most comprehensive study of its kind to date, researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) showed clinical improvements out to one year when stroke survivors who had lost function in one arm were given a unique, two-week rehabilitation regimen.

Prominent hypertension specialists question results of TROPHY study on hypertension

Fri, 27 Oct 2006 04:00:00 PST

There may be as many as 70 million Americans with prehypertension. If these people can be treated pharmacologically to avoid or delay progression to clinical hypertension, there would be significant benefits to them and the overall health of the population. The recent TROPHY study seems to lead to that conclusion. However, two editorials published in the November issue of the American Journal of Hypertension emphatically argue that the study is flawed and the conclusions reached are misleading.

Occupational therapy improves independence in stroke survivors

Tue, 17 Oct 2006 04:00:00 PST

Occupational therapy significantly reduces the risk of deterioration after stroke, according to a new systematic review.

REGARDS Study: Stroke Symptoms Common Among General Population

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 05:02:00 PST

As many as 18 percent of adults who have no history of stroke report having had at least one symptom of stroke, according to results of a large national study published in the October 9 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Using brain imaging to screen individuals without a history of stroke reveals that many have had an undiagnosed or silent stroke, according to background information in the article. One previous study found that 11 percent of individuals age 55 to 64, 22 percent of those ages 65 to 69 and 43 percent of those older than 85 years show evidence of stroke despite never having been diagnosed with the condition. Because awareness of stroke symptoms is low, it is possible that these individuals had symptoms but did not recognize them or that the symptoms did not reach the threshold necessary for a stroke diagnosis.

Stroke symptoms common among general population

Mon, 09 Oct 2006 04:00:00 PST

First Quantum Grant to fund stem cell repair of damage from stroke

Mon, 09 Oct 2006 04:00:00 PST

HOUSTON, Oct. 9, 2006 The National Institutes of Health has named researchers at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) and Rice University in Houston as the first and only recipients of the inaugural Quantum Grant for their international research initiative to regenerate damaged brain cells and blood vessels for the treatment of stroke.

Leveling the field for babies with persistent pulmonary hypertension

Thu, 05 Oct 2006 04:00:00 PST

If he can figure out which babies will be born unable to breathe properly, Dr. Stephen M. Black thinks he can help change that.

New international guidelines for heart transplant candidates standardize patient care

Fri, 15 Sep 2006 04:00:00 PST

The International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) announces the release of the first international guidelines for heart failure patient management, particularly prior to heart transplantation, published in this month's edition of the Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation (September 2006). For the first time, comprehensive international guidelines will help bridge the gap where current principles fall short and provide guidance to practicing physicians and cardiologists around the world.

Eastern Europe, Middle East tops in cardiovascular disease deaths

Sun, 03 Sep 2006 04:00:00 PST

DURHAM, N.C. -- Eastern European and Middle Eastern patients with diseased blood vessels have the highest rates of heart attacks and strokes, and the highest rates of death from those conditions, compared with similar patients in other regions of the world, according to a preliminary analysis of more than 68,000 patients in 44 countries.

$18 million grant will boost ASU research into mysteries of fatal diseases

Thu, 31 Aug 2006 04:00:00 PST

TEMPE, Ariz. The Microscale Life Sciences Center (MLSC) led by Deirdre Meldrum, new dean of Arizona State University's Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering, has been awarded a five-year $18 million grant one of the highest individual grant amounts in the university's history to continue its role as one of the national Centers for Excellence in Genomic Science (CEGS).

Video game for stroke rehabilitation?

Tue, 29 Aug 2006 03:27:00 PST

Engineers at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, have modified a popular home video game system to assist stroke patients with hand exercises, producing a technology costing less than $600 that may one day rival systems 10 times as expensive.

Could a pint of cider help keep the doctor away?

Sun, 27 Aug 2006 04:00:00 PST

The saying goes that an apple a day keeps the doctor away but now scientists at the University of Glasgow are looking into whether a pint of cider could have the same effect. Researchers have discovered that English cider apples have high levels of phenolics antioxidants linked to protection against stroke, heart disease and cancer and are working with volunteers to see whether these health benefits could be passed onto cider drinkers.

Internal body clock dictates timing of different types of stroke

Thu, 17 Aug 2006 16:27:00 PST

The internal body clock, or circadian rhythm, seems to influence the timing of different types of stroke, suggests research published ahead of print in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry. The research team analysed data from almost 13,000 patients who had had one of three types of stroke for the first time, diagnosed by brain scan. These patients' data had been collected on a stroke register, showing that cerebral infarction, where blood flow to brain arteries is restricted, was the most common type of stroke. The rate was 89 per 100,000 of the population.

Stroke Costs in US set to top $2 trillion dollars

Thu, 17 Aug 2006 15:50:00 PST

Estimated costs of ischemic stroke in the United States in the next half century will exceed $2.2 trillion dollars. The findings are published in the online edition of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Agratroban May Promote Opening Of Arteries Following Stroke

Tue, 15 Aug 2006 12:23:00 PST

A medication known as argatroban, when combined with another drug already used in the treatment of stroke patients, may help restore the flow of blood through blocked arteries, according to a preliminary study in the August issue of the Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Medication may promote opening of arteries following stroke

Mon, 14 Aug 2006 04:00:00 PST

A medication known as argatroban, when combined with another drug already used in the treatment of stroke patients, may help restore the flow of blood through blocked arteries, according to a preliminary study in the August issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

SPARCL Trial: Atorvastatin reduces recurrent stroke risk

Thu, 10 Aug 2006 15:06:00 PST

In people who have experienced a stroke, but who have no known history of coronary heart disease, beginning regular treatment with the cholesterol-lowering drug atorvastatin soon after the stroke can reduce the risk of recurrent stroke by 16 percent, according to a five-year study led by an international team that includes a researcher at Duke University Medical Center.

Popular statin reduces recurrent stroke risk

Wed, 09 Aug 2006 04:00:00 PST

DURHAM, N.C. -- In people who have experienced a stroke, but who have no known history of coronary heart disease, beginning regular treatment with the cholesterol-lowering drug atorvastatin soon after the stroke can reduce the risk of recurrent stroke by 16 percent, according to a five-year study led by an international team that includes a researcher at Duke University Medical Center.