One of 12 Stroke Victims Likely to Soon Have
Another, 25 Percent Die Within a Year
Researchers say their large study highlights vital
need for better secondary stroke prevention
Feb.
15, 2010 - New research finds that one out of 12 people who
have a stroke will likely soon have another stroke, and one out of four
will likely die within one year. Researchers say the findings highlight
the vital need for better secondary stroke prevention. The study is
published in the February 16, 2010, issue of Neurology, the
medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Texan has fed the cows by himself. Stem cells have
some kind of guidance system and migrate to the area of injury and,
although they're not making new brain cells, they may be enhancing the
repair processes. UT Houston to enroll 9 more in clinical trial.
For the study, scientists searched a state hospital
discharge database and identified 10,399 people in South Carolina with
an average age of 69 who had a stroke in 2002.
Of the participants, 23 percent were younger than
65 years old at the time of the initial stroke. Eighteen percent went on
to have a recurrent stroke within four years.
The study also included the number of heart attacks
or deaths within this time period.
The study found 25 percent of people who had a
stroke died within one year and eight percent of people had another
stroke within one year. The risk for both events rose steadily after one
year.
The cumulative risk at the end of four years, for
example, was:
● 18.1 percent for recurrent stroke,
● 6.2 percent for heart attack,
● 41.3 percent for death by any cause,
● 26.7 percent for vascular death and
● 52.5 percent for combined events, any recurrent stroke, heart
attack or death, whichever occurred first.
Furthermore, the risk of recurrent stroke was
between three and six times higher than the risk of heart attack at
different points during the study, said author Wuwei (Wayne) Feng, MD,
MS, with the Department of Neuroscience at the Medical University of
South Carolina.
Our findings suggest that South Carolina and
possibly other parts of the United States may have a long way to go in
preventing and reducing the risk factors for recurrent strokes.
The risk of a recurrent stroke, heart attack or
death was higher for African-Americans compared to Caucasians and also
increased with age and number of other disorders in addition to stroke
itself.
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the
United States and South Carolina had the second highest stroke death
rate in the nation in 2003.
The study was supported by the South Carolina
Center for Economic Excellence in Stroke and Health Sciences South
Carolina.
The American Academy of Neurology, an association
of more than 22,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is
dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic
care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing,
treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as
multiple sclerosis, restless legs syndrome, Alzheimers disease,
narcolepsy, and stroke.
For more information about the American Academy of
Neurology, visit
http://www.aan.com.
Helpful Information from the American Heart
Association
Know the Signs of a Stroke
Stroke is a medical emergency. Know these warning
signs of stroke and teach them to others. Every second counts:
► Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm
or leg, especially on one side of the body
► Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or
understanding
► Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
► Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of
balance or coordination
► Sudden, severe headache with no known cause
If you or someone with you has one or more of these
signs, don't delay! Immediately call 9-1-1 or the emergency medical
services (EMS) number so an ambulance (ideally with advanced life
support) can be sent for you.
Also, check the time so you'll know when the first
symptoms appeared. It's very important to take immediate action. If
given within three hours of the start of symptoms, a clot-busting drug
called tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) can reduce long-term
disability for the most common type of stroke. tPA is the only
FDA-approved medication for the treatment of stroke within three hours
of stroke symptom onset.
A TIA or
transient ischemic attack is a "warning stroke" or "mini-stroke" that
produces stroke-like symptoms but no lasting damage. Recognizing and
treating TIAs can reduce your risk of a major stroke. The usual TIA
symptoms are the same as those of stroke, only temporary. The short
duration of these symptoms and lack of permanent brain injury is the
main difference between TIA and stroke.
Let's Talk About Stroke, TIA and Warning Signs
Stroke is the No. 3 cause of death and a leading
cause of serious long-term disability in America. This fact sheet will
answer the following questions in regards to stroke, TIA and warning
signs:
► What is a stroke?
► What is a TIA?
► Why should I care about stroke? It seems hopeless.
► What are the warning signs of stroke?
► How can I learn more?
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Feb.
15, 2010 - New research finds that one out of 12 people who
have a stroke will likely soon have another stroke, and one out of four
will likely die within one year. Researchers say the findings highlight
the vital need for better secondary stroke prevention. The study is
published in the February 16, 2010, issue of Neurology, the
medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. 
Stroke is the No. 3 cause of death and a leading
cause of serious long-term disability in America. This fact sheet will
answer the following questions in regards to stroke, TIA and warning
signs: