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Routine Pulse Check May Prevent Second Stroke, Study Says

Posted 1 day 6 hours ago by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, July 23, 2014 – Regularly checking the pulse of a stroke survivor may help prevent another stroke, researchers report. "Screening pulse is the method of choice for checking for irregular heartbeat for people over age 65 who have never had a stroke. Our study shows it may be a safe, effective, noninvasive and easy way to identify people who might need more thorough monitoring to prevent a second stroke," said study author Dr. Bernd Kallmunzer, of Erlangen University in Germany. The study included more than 250 people who survived an ischemic stroke (blocked blood flow to the brain). Either the patients or their relatives were taught how to monitor the pulse to detect an irregular heartbeat. Pulse checks taken by patients and relatives were nearly as accurate as those taken by health care workers, according to the study published online July 23 in the journal Neurology. The ... Read more

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Irregular Heart Rhythm Ups Stroke Risk Soon After Heart Surgery

Posted 3 days ago by Drugs.com

MONDAY, July 21, 2014 – People who are older than 65 who've had a stroke or heart valve surgery, or who have known blood vessel disease, have an increased risk of stroke after heart surgery, a new study finds. Researchers looked at nearly 109,000 heart surgery patients in the Canadian province of Ontario and found that those factors could up the risk of stroke immediately after and for as long as two years following heart surgery. Having a heart rhythm disorder called atrial fibrillation also increased the risk of stroke, but only immediately after heart surgery, according to the study in the July 21 issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal. The researchers also found that patients with a higher number on the CHADS2 score – a tool used by doctors to determine a patient's risk of stroke – are at increased risk of stroke with or without atrial fibrillation. "The rate of stroke ... Read more

Related support groups: Ischemic Stroke, Atrial Fibrillation

Stroke Rates Declining Among Seniors, Study Shows

Posted 9 days ago by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, July 15, 2014 – Seniors in America are suffering fewer strokes, regardless of their race or sex, a new long-term study reveals. "We found that stroke incidence [among those 65 and older] has been declining for the last 20 years," said senior study author Dr. Josef Coresh, a professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, in Baltimore. "Our study found that the decrease is happening in whites and blacks, which is very important because blacks are at an elevated risk of stroke," he added. However, people younger than 65 continued to suffer strokes at about the same rate, although the researchers found that more of these younger patients survived their stroke. The stroke death rate for people aged 65 and older held steady. One expert found some of the study results troubling. "The more concerning news is the lack of decline [in stroke rates] ... Read more

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Surgery Soon After Stroke Can Be Risky: Study

Posted 9 days ago by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, July 15, 2014 – People who've had a stroke face a significantly higher risk of serious complications if they have an elective surgery during the nine months following their stroke, according to a new Danish study. And, the sooner it is after the stroke, the greater the risk. The odds of another stroke, heart attack or cardiovascular death are 14 times higher for people who have elective surgery within three months of a stroke, the study found. If you wait until between three and six months post-stroke, the odds drop to about five times as high compared to someone who hasn't had a stroke. At six to 12 months after a stroke, the odds of a serious outcome are about three times higher versus those who've never had a stroke. About nine months after a stroke, the risks from surgery are still elevated but have stabilized, according to the study's lead author, Dr. Mads Jorgensen, a ... Read more

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Stress, Depression May Boost Stroke Risk, Study Finds

Posted 14 days ago by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, July 10, 2014 – Stress, hostility and depression may increase the risk for stroke, a new study suggests. The study found that depression seemed to raise the risk of a stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA) by 86 percent. It also found that stress apparently raised stroke or TIA risk by 59 percent. And hostility doubled the risk, the researchers said. A TIA is a mini-stroke caused by a temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain. However, it's important to note that the study only found an association between the risk of stroke and negative emotions. It wasn't designed to prove that negative emotions can cause strokes. Still, "chronic stress and negative emotions are important psychological factors that affect one's health, and findings from this study link these factors to brain health in particular," said the study's lead author, Susan Everson-Rose, an associate ... Read more

Related support groups: Depression, Anxiety and Stress, Ischemic Stroke

After Stroke, Spouse May Also Need Care

Posted 28 Jun 2014 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, June 26, 2014 – If your spouse has a stroke, and the two of you disagree about the rate of recovery, your own health might suffer, a new study finds. The caregiving spouse is at increased risk for emotional distress and depression if the couple has different perceptions of the post-stroke progress, researchers found. Stroke care needs to switch from focusing only on the patient to regarding the patient and spouse as one unit, suggested Michael McCarthy, a social work researcher at the University of Cincinnati. "How the spouse is doing matters in the equation," McCarthy said. "They need as much care, if not more in some ways, as the patient," he added. "We need to bring partners together in the rehabilitation process, to align each person's expectations and perceptions in order to achieve the best outcomes." His study included 35 couples in which one spouse had suffered a ... Read more

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Rising Stroke Rate for Blacks in South Carolina, Study Finds

Posted 22 Jun 2014 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, June 19, 2014 – The number of middle-aged blacks hospitalized for stroke in South Carolina rose by about one-fifth over a decade, but there was no increase at all among whites, a new study finds. Researchers analyzed the records of more than 84,000 stroke survivors discharged from hospitals in South Carolina between 2001 and 2010. They found that stroke hospitalizations among blacks younger than 65 jumped by more than 17 percent, but remained stable for whites younger than 65. Blacks appeared more vulnerable to stroke at younger ages, too. According to the study, slightly more than half of the blacks hospitalized with stroke were younger than 65, compared with 30 percent of whites. The study was published June 19 in the journal Stroke. "Excess strokes among blacks, as well as the lingering racial disparity in the younger groups, represent a serious public health issue," lead ... Read more

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Stroke Prevention for Women: Start Early

Posted 17 Jun 2014 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, June 17, 2014 – Stroke typically affects women in their later years, but doctors are now beginning to focus on helping them cut their risk earlier in life. This increased attention to risk factors in early adult years was recommended by new guidelines that were released earlier this year by the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association. Those guidelines are now being phased into practice by primary care doctors, experts say. For women, that translates to more screening for risk factors during office visits and more interventions to ensure a healthy lifestyle to reduce stroke risk, said Dr. Louise McCullough, director of the Stroke Center at the University of Connecticut in Farmington. McCullough is the co-author of a summary of the guidelines that was published June 16 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Stroke is a serious interruption or reduction of ... Read more

Related support groups: Depression, Plan B, Sprintec, Mirena, Implanon, Provera, NuvaRing, Tri-Sprintec, Ischemic Stroke, Yasmin, Depo-Provera, Ortho Tri-Cyclen, Loestrin 24 Fe, Lutera, TriNessa, Ortho Evra, Microgestin Fe 1/20, Atrial Fibrillation, Mononessa, Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo

There's No 'Obesity Paradox' for Stroke, Study Finds

Posted 3 Jun 2014 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, June 2, 2014 – Contrary to previous evidence of what scientists have dubbed the "obesity paradox," being overweight or obese won't lower your risk of dying from a stroke, a new study shows. The obesity paradox suggests that overweight, and even obese, people may have a lower risk of dying prematurely from a number of conditions, including stroke, than do normal-weight folks. However, the new study suggests that the obesity paradox is likely a myth, since overweight and obese people were just as likely to die from a stroke as normal-weight people were. In addition, the study found that people who were overweight or obese were at least several years younger, on average, when they had a stroke than people who were a normal weight. "Stroke patients who were obese or overweight did not survive better than stroke patients who had normal weight," said lead researcher Dr. Tom Olsen, ... Read more

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Sleep Apnea Linked to Raised Stroke Risk in Women, Too

Posted 21 May 2014 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, May 20, 2014 – The link between sleep apnea and stroke appears to be as strong in women as in men, a new study says. Because men tend to develop obstructive sleep apnea before women, previous studies may have underestimated the connection between sleep apnea and stroke in women, according to the study's authors. "Our results could have a substantial impact on our thinking of the risks associated with sleep apnea in women," the study's lead author, Dr. Suzie Bertisch, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, said in a news release from the American Thoracic Society. "From a clinical standpoint, the results could help clinicians provide more proactive treatment for reducing cardiovascular risk in their female [sleep apnea] patients," she added. Obstructive sleep apnea is a common disorder that causes shallow breathing or repeated pauses in breathing during sleep, ... Read more

Related support groups: Ischemic Stroke, Sleep Apnea

Exercise Aids in Stroke Recovery

Posted 21 May 2014 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, May 20, 2014 – Exercise is an important, though often underused, way to improve mental and physical recovery in stroke survivors, according to experts. Stroke survivors should be prescribed exercise because many become inactive and suffer a physical decline that reduces their ability to do normal daily activities and increases their chances of having another stroke, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA). The new recommendation was published online on May 20 in the journal Stroke. "There is strong evidence that physical activity and exercise after stroke can improve cardiovascular fitness, walking ability and upper arm strength," statement author Sandra Billinger, a physical therapist at the University of Kansas Medical Center, said in an AHA/ASA news release. "In addition, emerging research suggests ... Read more

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Migraines Linked to Increased Risk of 'Silent Strokes'

Posted 16 May 2014 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, May 15, 2014 – Older people who have migraines may be twice as likely to have "silent strokes," according to a new study. Silent strokes are symptomless brain injuries caused by a blood clot that disrupts blood flow to the brain. Researchers cautioned that these brain injuries are a risk factor for future strokes. "I do not believe migraine sufferers should worry, as the risk of ischemic stroke in people with migraine is considered small," the study's lead author, Dr. Teshamae Monteith, said in a news release from the American Heart Association. Monteith is an assistant professor of clinical neurology and chief of the headache division at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. "However, those with migraine and vascular risk factors may want to pay even greater attention to lifestyle changes that can reduce stroke risk, such as exercising and eating a low-fat diet ... Read more

Related support groups: Migraine, Ischemic Stroke, Transient Ischemic Attack

Know the Signs of Stroke

Posted 12 May 2014 by Drugs.com

SATURDAY, May 10, 2014 – Some reminders about detecting and treating strokes are offered as Stroke Awareness Month continues. Dr. Henry Woo and Dr. David Fiorella, co-directors of the Stony Brook University Cerebrovascular and Stroke Center, say the most important thing is to remember the FAST rules about stroke symptoms: F – face drooping A – arm weakness S – speech difficulty T – time to call 911 "Speed of treatment is crucial," said Woo, an endovascular neurosurgeon and professor of neurological surgery and radiology at Stony Brook's School of Medicine, in a university news release. "People are seeking treatment faster and, more critically, at the right place – a health care facility that's been certified as a primary stroke center." If you suspect you're having a stroke, call 911. "Alert the operator that you are having symptoms of a stroke," added Fiorella, a ... Read more

Related support groups: Ischemic Stroke, Ischemic Stroke - Prophylaxis

Daily Aspirin Regimen Not Safe for Everyone, FDA Warns

Posted 6 May 2014 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, May 6, 2014 – Taking an aspirin a day can help prevent heart attack and stroke in people who have suffered such health crises in the past, but not in people who have never had heart problems, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "Since the 1990s, clinical data have shown that in people who have experienced a heart attack, stroke or who have a disease of the blood vessels in the heart, a daily low dose of aspirin can help prevent a reoccurrence," Dr. Robert Temple, deputy director for clinical science at the FDA, said in an agency news release. A low-dose tablet contains 80 milligrams (mg) of aspirin, compared with 325 mg in a regular strength tablet. However, an analysis of data from major studies does not support the use of aspirin as a preventive medicine in people who have not had a heart attack, stroke or heart problems. In these people, aspirin provides no ... Read more

Related support groups: Aspirin, Ischemic Stroke, Excedrin, Aggrenox, Alka-Seltzer, Fiorinal, Ecotrin, Excedrin Migraine, Platelet Aggregation Inhibition, Arthritis Pain Formula, Norgesic, Percodan, Soma Compound, Bayer Aspirin, Fiorinal with Codeine, Norgesic Forte, Cardiovascular Risk Reduction, Excedrin Extra Strength, Levacet, Excedrin Back & Body

Research Shows Ways to Speed Stroke Care

Posted 23 Apr 2014 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, April 23, 2014 – Every minute counts for stroke victims who need clot-busting medications quickly to restore blood flow to their brain and prevent further damage. Now, new efforts to hasten treatment in both ambulances and emergency rooms appear to have significantly improved patients' chances of survival and limited their long-term disability, according to a pair of studies in the April 23/30 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. A quality improvement initiative in hospital emergency departments significantly reduced the time it took for doctors to begin treatment of stroke patients with a clot-busting medication called tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), the first study found. But a specialized ambulance equipped to start stroke treatment on the way to the hospital cut that time even more, according to another study in the same issue of the journal. One ... Read more

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