Latest stroke Stories

May is American Stroke Month HARRISBURG, Pa., April 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- During American Stroke Month in May, United Concordia Dental, one of the nation's largest dental insurers, reminds adults with cerebrovascular disease, or stroke, that treating their gum disease can help lower health care costs. "Recent findings from our landmark oral health study show that annual medical costs are lower by more than $1,000 for individuals with cerebrovascular disease who are treated for...

RIDGEFIELD, Conn., April 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced three important updates to the U.S. prescribing information for PRADAXA, an oral anticoagulant (OAC) indicated to reduce the risk of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). The PRADAXA label now carries a Boxed Warning, similar to the Boxed Warnings in the labels of other new OACs, to advise patients that discontinuing treatment...

Randomized controlled trial Counseling and treatment with naturopathic care as well as enhanced usual care reduced the prevalence of metabolic syndrome, a risk factor for heart disease, by 17% over a year for participants in a randomized controlled trial published in CMAJ. Researchers enrolled 246 members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers at 3 study sites (Toronto, Vancouver and Edmonton) for a year-long clinical trial to determine whether naturopathic lifestyle counseling helped...

The teenage years may be a key period of vulnerability related to living in the "stroke belt" when it comes to future stroke risk, according to a new study published in the April 24, 2013, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. More people have strokes and die of strokes in the southeastern area known as the stroke belt than in the rest of the United States. So far, research has shown that only part of the difference can be explained by...

Long term exposure to air pollution may be linked to heart attacks and strokes by speeding up atherosclerosis, or "hardening of the arteries", according to a study by U.S. researchers published in this week's PLOS Medicine. The researchers, led by Sara Adar, John Searle Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, and Joel Kaufman, Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Washington, found that higher...

ANN ARBOR, Mich., April 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading cardiovascular scientists today announced the launch of avert-AF, a new initiative aimed at developing drug treatments for the prevention of the more advanced forms of atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation (AF or A-fib) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heart beat). Although it may not cause any symptoms, it is often associated with palpitations, fainting, chest pain, or congestive heart failure. Atrial...

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have developed a method of predicting which patients with heart disease would benefit more from surgery and which would benefit more from angioplasty. Drawing on Medicare records of more than 100,000 patients with heart disease, the team demonstrated that the effectiveness of coronary bypass surgery varied widely based on each individual's characteristics. The data enabled them to predict which type of intervention — coronary...

Heart disease and approximately half of all strokes are the results of advanced atherosclerosis with damaged endothelium, the inner lining of blood vessels. In 2009, the direct and indirect annual cost of heart disease and stroke was approximately $312.6 billion. Projections are for the total cost of heart disease to increase from $523 to $1.126 billion from 2013 to 2030. And by 2030, it is expected that there will be more than 148 million of the US population would have heart disease....

Consistent results from 2 studies presented at EuroPRevent 2013 Two studies presented at this year's EuroPRevent 2013 congress suggest that demanding physical work has a detrimental effect on an individual's risk of coronary heart disease. The first was a case-control study described by Dr Demosthenes Panagiotakos, Associate Professor of Biostatistics-Epidemiology at Harokopio University, Athens, which evaluated occupation in 250 consecutive patients with a first stroke, 250 with a...

SOUTHWEST RANCHES, Fla., April 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Bankers Healthcare Group is proud to partner with the American Heart Association and Broward PULSE in the fight against heart disease. Made up of local young professionals, PULSE aims to build healthier lives free of cardiovascular disease and stroke. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100301/NY62435LOGO ) "We are thrilled to support an organization that saves and improves so many lives," said BHG President Bob Castro....