Nov 18, 2017
SAFE member organisations did tremendous work around World Stroke Day 2017
SAFE members wholeheartedly supported the “What’s your reason?” campaign, taking into account their specific capacities, through use of texts, visuals and other material produced by WSO for this purpose.
At the same time, we used the opportunity to convey our own messages based on the Burden of Stroke Report findings, related to the lack of prevention and stroke awareness campaigns in Europe, as well as the underestimated danger coming from the three biggest stroke risk factors- blood pressure, AF and high cholesterol. (more…)
Nov 17, 2017
Having worked for the Stroke Association in the UK for ten years, I had a pretty good understanding of the differences in stroke care across Europe. But it wasn’t until I starting editing SAFE’s Burden of Stroke report earlier this year, that the stark inequalities became clear.
It is outrageous to me that your chance of dying from a stroke varies so much, simply due to where you live. As well as causing heartache to tens of thousands of people, not providing good stroke care is a heavy burden on society as a whole. And what good is expensive research into the best stroke prevention, treatment and support, if the findings are not implemented? (more…)
Nov 14, 2017
If you have a heart attack or stroke, it’s important to get your “bad” cholesterol measured by your doctor on a follow up visit. Researchers have found that one step is significantly associated with a reduced risk of suffering another serious cardiovascular episode.
The new research, conducted by researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City, found that patients who don’t follow up with their doctor by getting a low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol test following a heart attack or stroke are significantly more likely to have a reccurrence. (more…)
Nov 14, 2017
Patients with a prior history of heart attacks or stroke have better outcomes when cholesterol-lowering medications are used after they’re discharged from the hospital, according to a new study from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City.
Prior surveys in hospitals found that statins, a common medication prescribed to lower cholesterol, aren’t being used as consistently in patients who’ve been admitted to the hospital following a heart attack or stroke. Researchers also found that when the medication is prescribed, dosing is likely not as high as it should be to provide optimal benefits. (more…)
Nov 14, 2017
Standard guidelines for stroke treatment currently recommend clot removal only within six hours of stroke onset. But a milestone study with results published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that clot removal up to 24 hours after stroke led to significantly reduced disability for properly selected patients.
The international multi-center clinical study, known as the DAWN trial, randomly assigned 206 stroke victims who arrived at the hospital within six to 24 hours to either endovascular clot removal therapy, known as thrombectomy, or to standard medical therapy. (more…)
Nov 12, 2017
Picture a bare wire, without its regular plastic coating. It’s exposed to the elements and risks being degraded. And, without insulation, it may not conduct electricity as well as a coated wire. Now, imagine this wire is inside your brain.
That’s what happens in many diseases of the nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), spinal cord injuries, stroke, neonatal brain injuries, and even Alzheimer’s disease.
Much like that bare wire, the nerve fibers in the brain lose their protective coating, called myelin, and become extremely vulnerable. This leaves the nerve cells exposed to their environment and reduces their ability to transmit signals quickly, resulting in impaired cognition, sensation, and movement. (more…)
