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Long Sleep Time, Higher Stroke Risk?

Posted 6 days ago by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 25, 2015 – Adults who sleep more than eight hours a night may face a higher risk of stroke, a new analysis suggests. These so-called "long sleepers" were 46 percent more likely to have a stroke than those who got only six to eight hours of sleep a night, the researchers found. However, the researchers don't know if the long sleep is a cause, consequence or early warning sign of declining brain health. After reviewing previous research on the possible link between sleep and stroke risk, they said they only found an association that they can't explain. The study is published online Feb. 25 in Neurology. "Previous studies have already suggested a possible association between sleep and risk of stroke," said lead researcher Yue Leng, of the University of Cambridge in England. But the new analysis also looked at the relationship between a change in sleeping duration over time ... Read more

Related support groups: Ischemic Stroke, Drowsiness, Hypersomnia

Aspirin 'Resistance' May Make for Worse Strokes: Study

Posted 8 days ago by Drugs.com

MONDAY, Feb. 23, 2015 – People who are "resistant" to aspirin may be at risk for larger, more severe strokes, South Korean researchers report. Doctors often prescribe low-dose aspirin to people at high risk of stroke because the drug helps prevent blood clots. But for about 28 percent of stroke patients in a new study, aspirin didn't keep blood from clotting. And their strokes were worse than strokes suffered by aspirin-users who weren't resistant to the drug. "Aspirin resistance is an important predictor of severe stroke and large stroke size in patients taking aspirin before having a stroke," said lead researcher Dr. Mi Sun Oh, of the department of neurology at Hallym University College of Medicine in Seoul. What causes aspirin resistance isn't known. Other studies have found that between 5 percent and 45 percent of patients have this problem, but doctors do not routinely test for ... Read more

Related support groups: Aspirin, Ischemic Stroke, Excedrin, Aggrenox, Alka-Seltzer, Fiorinal, Ischemic Stroke - Prophylaxis, Ecotrin, Excedrin Migraine, Arthritis Pain Formula, Fiorinal with Codeine, Bayer Aspirin, Norgesic, Soma Compound, Percodan, Excedrin Extra Strength, Norgesic Forte, Levacet, Excedrin Back & Body, Aspirin/Butalbital

More Evidence That Even 'Moderate' Exercise Helps Women's Hearts

Posted 14 days ago by Drugs.com

MONDAY, Feb. 16, 2015 – Even a few bouts of moderate exercise each week can cut a middle-aged woman's odds for heart disease, blood clots and stroke, a new study finds. The British study also found that exercising more frequently didn't lead to greater reductions in heart risk. The take-home message, according to study lead author Miranda Armstrong: "To prevent heart disease, stroke and blood clots, women don't have to be super athletes or strenuously exercise daily to experience the benefits of physical activity." In fact, adding lots of extra strenuous exercise may offer "little additional benefit above that from moderately frequent activity," Armstrong said in a news release from the American Heart Association. She is a physical activity epidemiologist at Oxford University in England. The findings are published Feb. 16 in the journal Circulation. In the study, Armstrong's team ... Read more

Related support groups: Heart Disease, Ischemic Stroke

Kids Living in 'Stroke Belt' Not More Likely to Have Stroke: Study

Posted 19 days ago by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, Feb. 12, 2015 – Children who live in a region of the United States known as the "stroke belt" are not more likely to be hospitalized for stroke than those who don't live there, a new study finds. Adults in the stroke belt – located in the southeastern United States – are more likely to be hospitalized for stroke and die from it than adults in other parts of the country, researchers say. Previous research has also found that youngsters in the stroke belt may be more likely to die from stroke than other American children. In this study, researchers led by Dr. Judith Lichtman of the Yale School of Public Health in New Haven, Conn., examined data on stroke patients hospitalized across the country between 2006 and 2009. Stroke hospitalization rates for adults in the stroke belt were 32 percent to 52 percent higher than for those in other parts of the country. But, the study ... Read more

Related support groups: Ischemic Stroke

Clot-Busting Drug May Be Safe for Those With 'Wake-Up' Strokes

Posted 19 days ago by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, Feb. 12, 2015 – The clot-busting drug known as tPA appears safe for those who wake up in the morning to find they've had a stroke, a small new study suggests. Many people with these "wake-up strokes" do not receive tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) because of restrictions on its use to within three hours of the start of stroke symptoms. That's because for most patients who realize they have stroke symptoms upon waking, it's unclear just how long ago the stroke occurred. "There is a time limit of three hours [4.5 hours in select patients] to treat people with acute stroke with intravenous tPA, because there is an increased incidence of hemorrhage in patients treated outside the time window," explained one expert, Dr. Rafael Alexander Ortiz. Up till now, "in patients that complain of stroke symptoms at the time of waking up, it has been determined that the risk of treatment ... Read more

Related support groups: Ischemic Stroke, Activase, Cathflo Activase, Alteplase

Low Vitamin D Levels in Stroke Survivors a Bad Sign, Study Finds

Posted 19 days ago by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, Feb. 12, 2015 – Low vitamin D levels are linked to an increased risk of suffering a severe stroke and poor health in stroke survivors, new research finds. The study included almost 100 stroke patients who were treated at a U.S. hospital between 2013 and 2014. All had experienced an ischemic stroke, which is a stroke caused by blocked blood flow to the brain. People with low blood levels of vitamin D – less than 30 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) – had about two times larger areas of stroke-related dead brain tissue than those with normal vitamin D levels, according to the study. The researchers also found that for each 10 ng/mL reduction in vitamin D level, the odds of a healthy recovery in the three months after stroke fell by about half, regardless of age or initial stroke severity. Although this study found an association between low vitamin D levels and poor stroke ... Read more

Related support groups: Ischemic Stroke, Vitamin D Deficiency, Vitamin D Insufficiency

Parents of Young Stroke Victims at Risk for PTSD, Researchers Find

Posted 19 days ago by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, Feb. 12, 2015 – Parents of children who suffer a stroke are at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a small study suggests. The research included 10 fathers and 23 mothers of children and teens who had suffered a stroke, as well as nine stroke patients between the ages of 7 and 18. The researchers found that 55 percent of the parents met at least one of the PTSD criteria and 24 percent met all the criteria. PTSD was not seen in any of young stroke patients, but 22 percent of them had clinically significant levels of anxiety. "Our concern is that PTSD in parents of a child with stroke or pediatric stroke patients experiencing anxiety may have a harder time complying with therapy, which could affect health outcomes of the child," lead researcher Dr. Laura Lehman, a neurologist at Boston Children's Hospital, said in an American Stroke Association news release. "The ... Read more

Related support groups: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Ischemic Stroke

Motorized Stationary Bike May Help With Stroke Rehabilitation

Posted 19 days ago by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, Feb. 12, 2015 – Exercising on a motorized stationary bike may help boost stroke patients' brain and motor skills recovery, a small study suggests. The study included 17 stroke survivors, aged 23 to 84, whose stroke occurred six to 12 months before the start of the study. To help them regain the use of their arms, all of the patients took part in repetitive task therapy, such as relearning how to hold a cup or fork, or how to dress themselves. In addition to this, the patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups: exercise on a motorized stationary bike; using a stationary bike without a motor; or no aerobic exercise at all but twice as much upper body repetitive task therapy. All the cycling sessions lasted 45 minutes and were done before the repetitive task therapy for their arms. All three groups did 24 exercise sessions over eight weeks. At the end of that time, ... Read more

Related support groups: Ischemic Stroke

Dehydration Linked to Greater Stroke Damage

Posted 19 days ago by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, Feb. 12, 2015 – People who aren't well-hydrated when they have a stroke are about four times more likely to have a worse outcome than people who've had more fluids, a new study suggests. Researchers found that stroke effects worsened or stayed the same in 42 percent of dehydrated patients after hospitalization for their stroke, compared to 17 percent of hydrated patients. Stroke outcomes may be worse among dehydrated patients because their blood may be thicker than patients with adequate body fluid levels, according to study author Dr. Mona Bahouth, a cerebrovascular fellow in the department of neurology at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. "I think we had a hunch ... that hydration would be a key feature for stroke patients," Bahouth said. "So it's not too surprising, but it's just the beginning. Now we need to figure out what to do with the [findings]." The research is ... Read more

Related support groups: Ischemic Stroke

Some Stroke Survivors May Face Heightened Cancer Risk, Study Shows

Posted 19 days ago by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, Feb. 12, 2015 – Older adults who survive a stroke may have a higher-than-average risk of developing cancer in the next few years, a new study suggests. Researchers followed nearly 3,700 ischemic stroke survivors who were started out cancer-free. Over two years follow-up, 2 percent were newly diagnosed with cancer. The researchers determined their risk of a cancer diagnosis was 40 percent higher than the norm for older U.S. adults. Experts said it's not clear why the risk was elevated. That's likely because the study wasn't designed to discover a cause. It was only designed to look for a link between these conditions. But the association may have something to do with risk factors that underlie both stroke and certain cancers, such as smoking or unhealthy eating habits. Another potential culprit is chronic, low-grade inflammation – which is believed to contribute to both heart ... Read more

Related support groups: Cancer, Ischemic Stroke

Lower Blood Pressure Reduces First Stroke Risk: Study

Posted 20 days ago by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 11, 2015 – Keeping the top number in a blood pressure reading below 140 helps reduce the risk of stroke in healthy people 60 and older, according to a new study. The findings challenge a report published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The 2014 report said that doctors should aim for blood pressure readings of 150/90 mm Hg or lower for patients 60 and older who do not have diabetes or chronic kidney disease. That top number (the "systolic" reading) is 10 points higher than in previous recommendations and triggered controversy in the medical community. High blood pressure "is the most established and modifiable risk factor for stroke, one of the leading causes of death and disability," lead author of the new study, Chuanhui Dong, research associate professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, said in an American Stroke ... Read more

Related support groups: High Blood Pressure, Hypertension, Ischemic Stroke

Eyes May Be Window to Outcomes After Stroke, Research Suggests

Posted 20 days ago by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 11, 2015 – The eye's optic nerve may provide clues to a stroke patient's survival, a new study indicates. The research focuses on the sheath surrounding the optic nerve, which connects the eye and the brain. Using ultrasound to measure the thickness of the sheath may help spot patients at higher risk of death within days or months due to higher pressure inside the skull, according to a team from the University of Florida in Gainesville. "Ultrasound on the optic nerve can be used to test your brain for swelling, which sometimes occurs after a major stroke," explained study author Dr. Vishnumurthy Hedna, an assistant professor of neurology at the university. "This can be done by looking at the nerve diameter behind your eye with ultrasound images, since it is thought that when your brain swells, pressure gets transmitted towards your eyes," Hedna said in an American ... Read more

Related support groups: Ischemic Stroke

Driving Soon After Stroke May Be Risky, Studies Suggest

Posted 20 days ago by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 11, 2015 – After a stroke, driving skills may be impaired, two new studies suggest. The small studies found that drivers who survived a recent stroke were more likely than other drivers to make serious driving errors. Stroke survivors were also more likely to get into collisions when in a simulated driving test environment. "Patients with acute minor stroke made more errors during driving simulation in cognitively demanding aspects of driving, such as left-hand turns at a busy intersection," said one of the study's lead authors, Megan Hird. She is a graduate student at the University of Toronto and researcher at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto. Hird explained that few studies have looked at the driving performance of patients soon after a mild stroke. And while guidelines may suggest waiting a month to begin driving again, people may start driving sooner, according to ... Read more

Related support groups: Ischemic Stroke

More Stroke Patients Getting Clot-Buster Quickly, Study Shows

Posted 20 days ago by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 11, 2015 – More community hospitals are giving a powerful clot-busting medication to stroke victims, improving their chances of survival and recovery, new research shows. These local hospitals are becoming more comfortable using the clot-busting drug tPA (tissue-plasminogen activator) due to a new treatment scheme known as "drip and ship," said study author Dr. Kevin Sheth, chief of the neurocritical care and emergency neurology division at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn. "Drip and ship" means that front-line hospitals quickly administer tPA to people suffering a stroke due to a blood clot in the brain, and then immediately transport them to a more advanced medical center with better stroke treatment facilities, Sheth explained. Sheth's study revealed that one in four stroke patients who received tPA did so under the "drip and ship" method, indicating that ... Read more

Related support groups: Ischemic Stroke, Activase, Cathflo Activase, Alteplase

Depression After Stroke Linked to Troubled Sleep

Posted 20 days ago by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, Feb. 10, 2015 – Stroke survivors with depression may be at increased risk for sleep problems, a new study suggests. According to experts, sleep problems are common after stroke and associated with poor health. In the new study, a team of researchers in Korea looked at nearly 300 people hospitalized with stroke. They found that more than a fifth of them got less than six hours of sleep a night while they were hospitalized. Three months later, 44 percent of the 199 patients who completed the follow-up still had nighttime sleep problems, such as frequent nighttime awakenings and too little sleep, the team said. Although the study couldn't prove cause-and-effect, depression was the main factor associated with sleep problems. The researchers, led by Smi Choi Kwon of Seoul National University, also found that 39 percent of the patients had more daytime sleepiness than they did ... Read more

Related support groups: Depression, Sleep Disorders, Ischemic Stroke

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