Feature Channels: Stroke and TAVR procedures

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Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that totals about 795,000 strokes each year. More than 80 percent of stroke survivors experience gait challenges, often relating to a loss of control over ankle movement. As survivors progress into the chronic stage of stroke, most continue to walk slower and less efficiently.

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Investigators from the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai found that women who experience an adverse pregnancy outcome—such as gestational hypertension, preeclampsia or preterm birth—have a higher risk of developing stroke in their lifetime, and at a younger age.

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The new research findings, published in March in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, used data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA), which recruited about 5,000 healthy young adults from four U.S. cities and followed them for 30 years. The researchers were able to calculate from this data the cumulative effect of individual risk factors, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, elevated cholesterol, and the additive effects of multiple risk factors that can cause cardiovascular disease.

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The number of deaths worldwide from ischemic stroke increased from 2 million in 1990 to more than 3 million in 2019, and is expected to increase to nearly 5 million by 2030, according to a study published in the May 17, 2023, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study focused on ischemic stroke, which is caused by a blockage of blood flow to the brain and is the most common type of stroke.

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Surviving a stroke can bring many long-term effects – including a much higher risk of dementia. But a study suggests that blood sugar may play a key role in that risk.

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Impairments in the lymphatic system may contribute to brain diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases and stroke. Researchers have found a noninvasive and nonpharmaceutical method to influence glymphatic transport using focused ultrasound, opening the opportunity to use the method to further study brain diseases and brain function.

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Seemingly healthy people whose blood contained antibodies associated with a condition called antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) were significantly more likely to experience a cardiovascular event such as a heart attack or stroke than those without, a study led by UT Southwestern Medical Center scientists shows

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A new study from Keck Medicine of USC published in the Annals of Internal Medicine shows that heavy alcohol use may be dramatically more damaging to the liver for people with metabolic syndrome.

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People who have sleep apnea and spend less time in deep sleep may be more likely to have brain biomarkers that have been linked to an increased risk of stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline, according to new research published in the May 10, 2023, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study does not prove that these sleep disturbances cause the changes in the brain, or vice versa. It only shows an association.

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Air pollution has been shown to have a negative effect on the prognosis of ischemic stroke, or stroke caused by reduced blood flow to the brain, but the exact mechanism is unknown. A team of researchers recently conducted a study to determine whether or not increased inflammation of the brain, also known as neuroinflammation, is the main culprit.

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It’s a common misconception that older adults need less sleep than those younger, but many get fewer hours due to insomnia and various health problems, including sleep apnea and heart trouble. In addition to a reduced quality of life, long-term health consequences of poor sleep include high blood pressure, weight gain, stroke, heart attack, diabetes, memory problems, and even increased risk of death, said Deborah Freeland, M.D., Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and a member of UTSW’s Division of Geriatric Medicine.

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An exhaustive cost-benefit analysis of population genetic testing published in Annals of Internal Medicine concludes with a recommendation to U.S. health policymakers to adopt routine testing of adults ages 40 and under for three genetic conditions posing high risk of life-threatening illness.

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Mountainside Medical Center received an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit upholding the standard of patient safety in hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers. This distinction celebrates the hospital’s achievements in prioritizing patient safety by protecting patients from preventable harm and errors.

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The program guide for TVT 2023: The Structural Heart Summit is available online. An annual meeting from the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF), TVT features cutting-edge research and techniques for structural heart interventions and will take place June 7-10, 2023, at the Phoenix Convention Center – West in Phoenix, Arizona.

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Neuropsychologists experts available to discuss connection between stroke and depression for May's Stroke & Mental Health Awareness Months.

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The latest science and trial results were unveiled during the 2023 American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) Annual Scientific Meeting in Los Angeles. The late-breaking abstract “Efficacy and Safety of Early Minimally Invasive Removal of Intracerebral Hemorrhage (ENRICH): a Multicenter Randomized Adaptive Trial,” was showcased Saturday, April 22.

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Researcher will discuss the study which involved a sleeping aid known as suvorexant that is already approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for insomnia, hints at the potential of sleep medications to slow or stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

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New, never before presented research will be shared during the 2023 American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) Annual Scientific Meeting in Los Angeles. The late-breaking abstract “Efficacy and Safety of Early Minimally Invasive Removal of Intracerebral Hemorrhage (ENRICH): a Multicenter Randomized Adaptive Trial,” will be showcased during the Plenary Session l, Saturday, April 22, at 9:39 am- 9:49 am, PST.

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Studies have shown that Mexican Americans have worse outcomes after a stroke than non-Hispanic white Americans. A new study looks at whether the language Mexican American people speak is linked to how well they recover after a stroke. The study is published in the April 12, 2023, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology

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A new twist on a drug used to treat alcohol use disorder could double up as a treatment for stroke. Called “Carb” for short, this new formulation is designed to treat ischemic stroke, protect brain tissue against injury and minimize the size of a brain infarct.

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An implantable device that stimulates the vagus nerve, paired with traditional rehabilitation therapy, is being used to restore hand and arm function in stroke survivors treated in New Jersey.

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People who have sleep problems may be more likely to have a stroke, according to a study published in the April 5, 2023, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Sleep problems included getting too much or too little sleep, taking long naps, having poor quality sleep, snoring, snorting and sleep apnea. In addition, those who had five or more of these symptoms had an even greater risk of stroke. The study does not show that sleeping problems cause stroke. It only shows an association.

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Hackensack University Medical Center is the only site in New Jersey that is participating in the ROADSTER 3 clinical trial to assess real-world outcomes for patients with carotid artery disease who have an average surgical risk and undergo a minimally invasive surgical procedure called transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR).

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The Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai highlighted progress against Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, multiple sclerosis, brain cancer and stroke in their 2023 Annual Report, which also details advancements in spine surgery.

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A recent study published in JAMA demonstrates the effectiveness of a procedure done under the skin, similar to placing a stent, to treat uncontrolled hypertension, or blood pressure that cannot be controlled despite the use of blood pressure control drugs and agents.

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New study suggests that limiting carbohydrates is associated with high prevalence of cardiometabolic disease, especially when dietary fat intake is high.

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Dr. Nancy Pike, professor and director of research at the UCLA School of Nursing, has been elected to serve as the Chair of the American Heart Association Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing. She is the first pediatric nurse scientist to hold this position.

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“We welcome the opportunity to present the important research we’re doing at JFK Johnson to a national audience,” said Sara Cuccurullo, chair, vice president and medical director of JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute. “Our goal is to improve outcomes for our patients and also to advance the specialty of rehabilitation medicine to help patients everywhere.”

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Analyzing the most extensive datasets in the U.S., researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have revealed that vaccination against COVID-19 is associated with fewer heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular issues among people who were infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The research letter, “Impact of Vaccination on Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Patients with COVID-19 Infection,” was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology on February 20. The research will also be presented on March 5, 2023 in a poster session in New Orleans, LA, at the American College of Cardiology’s 72nd Annual Scientific Session Together With World Heart Federation’s World Congress of Cardiology.

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ROCKVILLE, MD – COVID-19 infections can cause potentially life-threatening heart issues. Studies suggest that people with COVID-19 are 55% more likely to suffer a major adverse cardiovascular event, including heart attack, stroke and death, than those without COVID-19. They’re also more likely to have other heart issues, like arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms) and myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle).

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People with diabetes are twice as likely to develop dementia as those without the disease. In a new study, people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes who took the diabetes drug pioglitazone were less likely to later develop dementia than those who did not take the drug. The study is published in the February 15, 2023, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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People living in disadvantaged neighborhoods—areas with higher poverty levels and fewer educational and employment opportunities—had an increased risk of dying within a month of being hospitalized for stroke, epilepsy and other neurologic diseases compared to people living in neighborhoods with fewer disadvantages, according to new research published in the February 15, 2023, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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A large international clinical study finds that patients with large strokes had a dramatically better recovery after endovascular thrombectomy plus medical management than patients receiving only standard medical management. The study was published Feb. 10 in the New England Journal of Medicine to coincide with its presentation at the International Stroke Conference in Dallas.

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Morristown Medical Center’s Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute’s structural heart program reached a significant milestone of performing over 4,000 transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures with well over 650 in 2022 alone.

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José Biller, MD, FACP, FAAN, FANA, FAHA, chair of the Loyola Medicine department of neurology and professor of neurology and neurological surgery at Loyola University Chicago's Stritch School of Medicine, has received the American Heart Association's William M. Feinberg Award for Excellence in Clinical Stroke.

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Adults ages 50 and older who lived near dense fast food and unhealthy food environments known as “food swamps” had a higher risk of stroke compared to those who lived in areas with fewer retail and fast food choices, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2023.

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Taking care of your teeth and gums may offer benefits beyond oral health such as improving brain health, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2023.