Sep 2, 2017
New analysis shows that in a high-risk population, achieving ultra-low LDL cholesterol levels, down to <10 mg/dL, safely results in additional lowering of risk of cardiovascular events.
A newer class of cholesterol lowering drugs known as PCSK9 inhibitors has emerged as an effective treatment for drastically lowering LDL cholesterol beyond current treatment targets. Earlier this year, results from a clinical trial led by investigators at Brigham and Women’s Hospital found that the PCSK9 inhibitor evolocumab, when added to statin therapy, resulted in a significant reduction in the risk for cardiovascular events and was safe. (more…)
Aug 30, 2017
Anticoagulants are recommended for atrial fibrillation due to the high risk of stroke. However, bleeding complications can occur as a side effect. Researchers in Japan examined several types of anticoagulants and found that the rates of thrombus formation are different according to the type of drug. This difference may be related to the risk of side effects, especially intracranial bleeding.
Atrial fibrillation is an arrhythmia signified by rapid and irregular beating of the upper chambers of the heart (atria). Anticoagulant therapy is recommended for atrial fibrillation because thrombi formed by stagnated blood in the atrium can cause stroke. In addition to the conventional anticoagulant warfarin, direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have become widely used. DOACs can selectively inhibit coagulation factors, whereas warfarin cannot. (more…)
Aug 30, 2017
Closure of the left atrial appendage during heart surgery protects the brain, according to late-breaking research presented in a Hot Line LBCT Session at ESC Congress. The results suggest that closure should be routinely added to open heart surgery.
“This is the first randomised study to show that closure of the left atrial appendage during open heart surgery effectively protects against brain infarctions and stroke,” said Assoc Prof Helena Domínguez, the cardiologist who designed the study. (more…)
Aug 30, 2017
New research presented at ESC Congress today shows, for the first time, that blood pressure control is pivotal in reducing major bleeding and stroke risk in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).
The range of variability in a patient’s systolic blood pressure (SBP) from visit to visit was strongly associated with their risk of adverse outcomes, reported Dr Marco Proietti, MD, from the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham.
“Our findings suggest that consistency in blood pressure control, beyond the single measurement, is very important, and this appears to be the case across all types of AF patients, irrespective of age, blood pressure history, blood pressure level or clotting risk,” said Dr. Proietti. (more…)
Aug 25, 2017
Stroke Alliance for Europe (SAFE) and European Stroke Organisation (ESO) signed the Memorandum of Understanding in Prague this spring, at the first day of the ESOC 2017.
In this video of Prof. Valeria Caso and Jon Barrick (SAFE) are being interviewed about the decision their organisations have made and how it will affect the future of stroke prevention, treatment and care in Europe.
Aug 20, 2017
Research led by the head of the Barrow Neurological Institute and published in the July 20, 2017 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine reveals that subarachnoid hemorrhages, which are caused by ruptured brain aneurysms, account for 5-10 percent of all strokes and are best managed by experienced and dedicated experts at high-volume centers with neurosurgeons, endovascular surgeons and stroke neurologists.
The article was co-authored by Barrow President and CEO Michael T. Lawton, M.D. and G. Edward Vates, M.D., Ph.D, of the University of Rochester Medical Center’s Department of Neurosurgery. “Subarachnoid hemorrhage victims tend to be younger than typical stroke victims, and they risk a greater loss of productive life,” Dr. Lawton said. “It is critical that they receive the best treatment for aneurysms — like the multidisciplinary team approach and state-of-the-art therapy like that offered at Barrow.” (more…)
Aug 18, 2017
A new University of Liverpool study, published in Wiley Brain and Behaviour, identifies simple measures that could substantially improve the quality of life of stroke survivors with visual impairments.
About two thirds of stroke survivors have visual impairment which typically relates to impaired central or peripheral vision, eye movement abnormalities, or visual perceptual defects.
Symptoms can include blurred or altered vision, double or jumbled vision, loss of visual field, reading difficulty, inability to recognize familiar objects or people and glare. Post stroke visual impairment (PSVI) is currently an under researched area. (more…)
Aug 17, 2017
The overall rate of stroke in the United States has been declining in recent years and while that has been good news, a new study suggests it may be primarily good news for men. The research, published in the August 9, 2017, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, found that while the stroke rate for men declined during the study period, for women it remained the same. (more…)
Aug 11, 2017
In the largest functional brain imaging study to date, the Amen Clinics (Newport Beach, CA) compared 46,034 brain SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) imaging studies provided by nine clinics, quantifying differences between the brains of men and women. The study is published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
Lead author, psychiatrist Daniel G. Amen, MD, founder of Amen Clinics, Inc., commented, “This is a very important study to help understand gender-based brain differences. The quantifiable differences we identified between men and women are important for understanding gender-based risk for brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. Using functional neuroimaging tools, such as SPECT, are essential to developing precision medicine brain treatments in the future.” (more…)
Aug 8, 2017
People who survive a stroke or a mini-stroke without early complications have an increased risk of death, another stroke or heart attack (myocardial infarction) for at least 5 years following the initial stroke, found a new study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal)
“There is a real need to maintain risk reduction strategies, medical support and healthy lifestyle choices over the long-term, even years after a mild initial event,” said senior author Dr. Richard Swartz, a neurologist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario. (more…)
