Stroke Research Provided Free on New Website

May 8, 2006 – Senior citizens – the people most at risk of a stroke – can find free information and the latest research information on strokes at a new Internet site named Stroke Trails Registry. The information also targets families dealing with stroke, medical professionals and researchers. The risk of a stroke increases with age.

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The registry, a collaboration between the American Stroke Association, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), is a database of clinical trials investigating strategies to prevent, treat and recover from stroke and cerebrovascular diseases.

The site makes it possible to track the progress of ongoing trials and gain information quicker than relying on published journal articles or media reports.

The American Stroke Association recently renewed its financial support of the registry with a $15,000 contribution. Since 1999, the association has contributed more than $100,000 to support the project.

“We recognize that medical professionals often search for new scientific information on stroke. Approaches to diagnosing, preventing and treating stroke are changing rapidly and require us to provide scientific information that gives an up-to-date overview of the state of stroke care today,” said Ralph Sacco, M.D., chair of the American Stroke Association Advisory Committee.

“We have added an important component to the overall volume of information we provide professionals, and partnering with this unique Web site allows the association to provide this information at minimal costs,” he said. “Anything we can do to get timely information to stroke healthcare professionals will greatly benefit patients.”

	To visit the new Website – www.stroketrails.org – click here.
	Stroke Warning Signs
	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 Call 9-1-1 immediately if you experience symptoms! Time lost is brain lost! American Stroke Association
	About Stroke Risk Factors
	The older you are, the greater your risk for stroke. High blood pressure — High blood pressure (140/90 mm Hg or higher) is the most important risk factor for stroke. It usually has no specific symptoms and no early warning signs. That’s why everybody should have their blood pressure checked regularly. More Risk Factors of Stroke

The registry currently catalogues 500 ongoing and completed multi-center, randomized trials of therapeutic interventions for acute ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, secondary stroke prevention and stroke recovery. Information is obtained from presentations at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference, published sources, trial investigators and sponsors, and other scientific meetings throughout the year.

As both a trials registry and a results database, the registry is essentially a one-stop portal for clinical trial information about stroke. Listings of completed trials include links to published papers and a physician-reviewed synopsis of the trial’s results. Additional features include a thorough list of stroke assessment scales, a calendar of professional meetings and events and an archive of stroke news reports. The registry is visited by 2.3 million people annually.

“Despite resources such as online searches of medical literature, it is progressively more difficult to stay abreast of research developments,” said Mark Goldberg, M.D., director of the Internet Stroke Center at Washington University.

Most trials last several years and there is often a time lag of one to four years between the end of the trial and publishing the results. Some trials are presented only in abstract form, while others are never published, including some trials with negative results. All this “makes it difficult to evaluate therapeutic approaches or to design new ones,” said Goldberg, who is also a professor in the departments of neurology and anatomy and neurobiology at Washington University.

The Stroke Trials Registry is a resource of the Internet Stroke Center, a nonprofit academic Web site operated by Washington University, that provides educational information and resources related to stroke for patients, families and healthcare professionals.

For information on stroke and the stroke trials registry, visit the Health Professionals Research link at www.strokeassociation.org.

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