Stroke
Neuro symptoms in pregnancy rarely stroke-related
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Neurological symptoms that occur during pregnancy are rarely caused by a mini-stroke, or “transient ischemic attack” (TIA), but instead are usually associated with migraine with “aura,” according to a report in BMC Medicine.
Aura refers to symptoms that may precede the onset of a migraine (and also seizures), such as seeing flashing lights or temporary vision loss.
Many Activities and Events, from Waking Up to Earthquakes, Can Trigger Heart Attacks and Strokes
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Many Activities and Events, from Waking Up to Earthquakes, Can Trigger Heart Attacks, Strokes, and Cardiac Arrests
Heart attacks, strokes, and cardiac arrests seem like they come out of the blue, but most don’t. They usually appear after cholesterol-rich plaque has festered in the arteries that nourish the heart and brain. So what makes one happen at a particular time? A trigger, reports the July 2007 issue of the Harvard Heart Letter.
Important triggers include:
Waking from sleep. Before you wake up, your body trickles stress hormones into the bloodstream. This helps you get up, but also slightly stresses the heart. That, along with dehydration that occurs overnight and the overnight fade in protection from heart medicines, may explain why heart attacks are most common in the morning.
Both types of diabetes raise stroke risk: study
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New research indicates that both insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetes and non-insulin-dependent (type 2) diabetes is associated with substantially increased risks of stroke overall, and most subtypes of stroke.
Strokes occur when the blood flow to the brain stops, causing brain cells to begin dying within minutes. There are two types of strokes. The most frequent kind is called ischemic stroke and is triggered by a blood clot that blocks a blood vessel in the brain. Hemorrhagic stroke is triggered when a blood vessel breaks and bleeds into the brain.
Risk of Stroke Doubles If Diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes
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Individuals diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes are at double the risk of having a stroke compared to those without diabetes, according to new research from the University of Alberta. It was found that the risk of a stroke is considered high within the first five years of treatment for Type 2 diabetes and more than doubles the rate of occurrence.
For this study, the researchers entered 12,272 subjects into a Type 2 diabetes cohort. All subjects were recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and had a mean age of 64 years. After five years of monitoring, stroke incidence rates were compared between the cohort and the general population.
Atrial fibrillation not a risk factor for dementia
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While atrial fibrillation is a significant risk factor for stroke in the very elderly, it does not predict dementia, according to findings published in the medical journal Stroke.
Atrial fibrillation is a heart rhythm disorder (arrhythmia) of the upper chambers of the heart (atria), resulting in disorganized and abnormal contractions, Dr. Tuula Pirttila, of Kuopio University Hospital, Finland, and colleagues report. “Several studies have shown that atrial fibrillation predicts the development of poststroke dementia, whereas others have found no such association.”
Migraines During Pregnancy Linked to Stroke and Other Vascular Diseases
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Migraines during pregnancy are strongly linked to vascular diseases, such as stroke and heart disease, according to research that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 59th Annual Meeting in Boston, April 28 – May 5, 2007.
Researchers looked at a national database of nearly 17 million women discharged for pregnancy deliveries from 2000-2003. A total of 33,956 of the women were treated for migraines.
Are Higher Doses of Cholesterol Drugs Worth the Extra Money?
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When it comes to cholesterol-lowering drugs, more is better. At least, that’s what heart doctors and heart patients have been hearing in recent years. And as a result, more patients are taking higher doses of drugs called statins – leading to lower heart and stroke risk, but higher prescription drug costs and more frequent side effects.
Now, a new study looks at whether those higher doses, and higher costs, are really going to pay off for some patients. For those with a recent heart attack or what doctors call ‘acute coronary syndrome’, the answer is yes, the researchers say.
Stroke a risk for cocaine, amphetamine users
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Young people who abuse cocaine and amphetamines are at heightened risk for suffering a stroke, a study published Monday confirms.
Cocaine, amphetamines, and other stimulants may boost the risk of stroke by raising blood pressure or by triggering spasms in blood vessel walls.
Stroke patients admitted to hospitals on weekends may be more likely to die
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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.
A “weekend effect” has been previously documented when looking at other conditions such as cancer and pulmonary embolism; however, little is known of its impact on stroke death.
Learning to Prevent Medical Mistakes in Caring for Stroke Patients
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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.
For the study, researchers analyzed provider-reported adverse events and errors within a voluntary and mandatory event reporting system in stroke patients admitted to Strong Memorial Hospital at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, New York, between July 2001 and December 2004. Adverse events are defined as an injury to a patient occurring during medical management, not necessarily because of an error. Medical errors are defined as incorrect actions or plans that may or may not cause harm to a patient.
Stroke victims train brains to see again
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A new study bolsters evidence that people partially blinded by a stroke or brain injury may be able to improve their field of vision by teaching new parts of their brain to see, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.
Using a computer workout program for the brain, about three-quarters of patients in the study could see better after six months of treatment with the therapy, which trains neighboring brain cells to take over for damaged areas.
Robotic therapy helps restore hand use after stroke
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A robotic therapy device may help people regain strength and normal use of affected hands long after a stroke, according to a University of California, Irvine study.
Stroke patients with impaired hand use reported improved ability to grasp and release objects after therapy sessions using the Hand-Wrist Assisting Robotic Device (HOWARD).
Risk of Stroke Expected to Decrease with New Screening Guidelines
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For the first time, a set of screening guidelines for the detection of carotid stenosis, the thickening of the blood vessel that supplies blood to the brain and a leading cause of stroke, has been developed by a multidisciplinary committee of internationally recognized neurologists and surgeons. These guidelines will help reduce the death and disability rates associated with stroke by identifying carotid stenosis in a timely manner, allowing treatment before a stroke occurs. These guidelines appear in the latest issue of Journal of Neuroimaging.
Test may identify heart attack, stroke risk-study
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An inexpensive blood test may identify which heart disease patients are at the highest risk of a stroke or heart attack, allowing doctors to move more aggressively to help them, a study said on Tuesday.
“We are very good in this country at diagnosing heart disease,” said Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, of the University of California-San Francisco, lead author of the study.
“But we’re not very good at distinguishing who’s at high risk for future problems and starting them on preventive therapies. This test could make all the difference,” she added.
Depression may quadruple stroke risk for some
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People with symptoms of depression appear to be at increased risk of having a stroke or mini-stroke—but only subjects less than 65 years old—according to data from the Framingham Heart Study. The risk was not seen among individuals older than 65.
Dr. Margaret Kelly-Hayes and her associates at Boston University followed 4120 subjects in the Framingham Heart Study for up to 8 years. At the start, scores on a standard depression scale, called the CES-D, averaged 6. However, nearly 11 percent scored 16 or greater, indicating the presence of depressive symptoms.
