Low-cost therapy produces long-lasting improvements for stroke survivors

Low-cost therapy produces long-lasting improvements for stroke survivors

A new study by researchers at the University of East Anglia (UEA) and the University of Glasgow has found that a low-cost therapy can improve the lives of stroke patients with vision problems.

A stroke can affect the way the brain processes the information it receives from the eyes which can cause a number of visual processing problems. The study aimed to test the effectiveness of visuomotor feedback training (VFT) in treating the most common of these, visual neglect, which happens when the brain does not process the information about what is seen on one side of space. (more…)

Insulin-Controlled Diabetes Linked to Increased Stroke Risk in AFib

Insulin-Controlled Diabetes Linked to Increased Stroke Risk in AFib

HealthDay News, published on neurologyadvisor.com

For patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), diabetes requiring insulin, but not diabetes without insulin treatment, is associated with an increased risk of stroke/systemic embolism, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Giuseppe Patti, MD, from the Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, and colleagues examined the differential role of insulin vs no insulin therapy on thromboembolic risk in a cohort of patients with AF. The authors compared the rates of stroke/systemic embolism at one year according to diabetes status. Data were included for 5717 patients; 1288 of these had diabetes, of whom 22.4% were on insulin. (more…)

EBC holds AF-Related Stroke Policy Workshop at European Parliament

EBC holds AF-Related Stroke Policy Workshop at European Parliament

On 25 January 2017, EBC and MEP Aldo Patriciello (Italy) host an AF-Related Stroke Policy Series Workshop in the European Parliament in Brussels. Moderated by Peter O’Donnell of Politico, the workshop focuses on highlighting the importance of pre-screening and early detection of AF to reduce the threat of stroke and features expert speakers in both AF and Stroke.

18% of strokes are associated with Atrial Fibrillation—the most common heart rhythm disturbance. The early detection of previously unknown arrhythmias, such as AF, can enable patients to receive timely and effective diagnosis and treatment in order to avoid possible future onset of stroke. (more…)

What’s in a name? A call to reframe non-communicable diseases

What’s in a name? A call to reframe non-communicable diseases

Written by Luke N Allen, Andrea B Feigl

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(17)30001-3

The global health community does not spend much time on branding, which perhaps explains why existing classifications for the three largest groups of diseases are both outdated and counterproductive. The first Global Burden of Disease study1 described infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and injuries. This grouping reflected a predominantly infectious disease burden in low-income and middle-income countries, which has since tilted towards NCDs. A name that is a longwinded non-definition, and that only tells us what this group of diseases is not, is not befitting of a group of diseases that now constitute the world’s largest killer. (more…)

Life after stroke: Tips for recovering communication skills

Life after stroke: Tips for recovering communication skills

Stroke can lead to ongoing communication problems, but recovery is often possible.

The source: medicalnewstoday.com
Written by Yvette Brazier

Every year in the United States, more than 795,000 people have a stroke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Furthermore, the United Kingdom’s Stroke Association note that 1 in 3 people will experience communication problems after a stroke.

Unfortunately, we often judge people on how well they communicate. From the outside, a person who has difficulty speaking may appear to have difficulty thinking, too, but this is not necessarily true. (more…)