Stroke

A gout drug taken at the right dose may cut heart attack and stroke risk in people with gout, a study of 109,504 patients in the UK, Sweden and Italy suggests. Gout is a common arthritis caused by uric acid crystals forming in joints, triggering sudden severe pain, often in the big toe, feet, ankles, [...]

Reducing salt in processed, pre-packaged and prepared foods may prevent thousands of cases of heart disease, stroke and death, according to two new studies. The studies took place in France and the UK, where food manufacturers have subtly reduced salt levels in shop-bought foods. Using national diet and health data, researchers in France estimated that [...]

UK pharmacies say an aspirin shortage is forcing them to ration supplies for patients with acute heart conditions and emergency prescriptions. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) and the Independent Pharmacies Association said they are struggling to source the drug, citing manufacturing delays as part of the reason for the shortage. The NPA said pharmacists have [...]

A new wearable device could help stroke survivors communicate, offering speech support without implants. The device, called Revoice, uses ultra-sensitive sensors and artificial intelligence to decode speech signals and emotional cues so people with post-stroke speech impairment can communicate. Worn as a soft, flexible choker, it captures heart rate and tiny vibrations from throat muscles, [...]

A new blood test tracks brain injury after stroke and predicts outcomes months to years later, researchers have said. The biomarker, brain-derived tau (BD-tau), could let clinicians monitor how damage evolves in the hours and days after stroke, which scans alone cannot show. In ischaemic stroke, part of the brain loses its blood supply. Decisions [...]

A simple tool predicts five-year dementia risk in stroke survivors using routine clinic and hospital data, an international team reports. The analysis drew on more than 2,600 stroke survivors across 12 studies in 10 countries, coordinated through the global Stroke and Cognition Consortium (STROKOG). Researchers found that a combination of age, sex, education, stroke severity, [...]

Risperidone raises stroke risk in all patients, research finds, challenging the idea that any group can take the drug without added danger. The study of more than 165,000 people with dementia found risperidone increased stroke risk even in patients with no prior heart disease or stroke. Risperidone is a strong antipsychotic often prescribed for severe [...]

Thousands of people in the UK are at risk death or severe disability due to a lack of NHS stroke specialists, senior doctors have warned. A chronic shortage of stroke consultants means patients face delays to clot-busting drugs and surgery, with horrendous consequences, they said. Prof David Werring, past president of the British and Irish [...]

Vaping may raise the risk of stroke and heart attack, a review of more than 1.5 million people suggests. The findings challenge the idea that e-cigarettes are a safe alternative to tobacco. Researchers ran a systematic review and meta-analysis (a pooled analysis of multiple studies) of 12 observational studies and randomised trials published between January [...]

Combining blood pressure drugs into a single pill may cut stroke risk and help patients reach targets sooner, a new scientific statement suggests. The statement says single-pill combinations could simplify treatment and help more adults with high blood pressure reach and maintain goals compared with taking multiple separate pills daily. High blood pressure, also known [...]