Less news about stroke in October, but what shows up is good

Surprisingly, in October offered fewer news stories about stroke than almost any other month since I’ve been handling the newsfeed review. That is slightly disappointing to me because learning about the latest research and progress in detecting and treating strokes and their aftermath is what makes this job enjoyable and worthwhile. It keeps me “in the know.” That is not to say that there isn’t plenty to tell you about. But there was less to choose from in my daily review of news articles that show up on the daily newsfeed. As always, there were a lot of news stories that had the key word “stroke” in them – for example, news about golf strokes, tennis strokes, and strokes of good luck or signing laws in one bold stroke.

But now, on with the reason why this article appears is in the newsletter…news about the kind of stroke all of us have survived. (I wish it were as much fun as all those sports that have strokes associated with them. And especially those strokes of good luck.)

Eyes are the window to the soul and stroke

First, there is an article about detecting the likelihood of a stroke by examining the blood vessels in our eyes. So, as they say, “The eyes may be windows to the soul,” but they may also be more than that because they may be helping doctors to predict stroke risk, according to a new Australian study. The seven-year study of nearly 3,700 people aged 49 and older found that people with changes in the small blood vessels in their eyes were 70 percent more likely to suffer a stroke than people without the damage, which includes tiny bulges (microaneurysms) in the blood vessels or tiny blood spots caused by blood leaking from microaneurysms.

http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?id=88220

You may be able to learn to drive again!

A driving simulator similar to flight simulators used to train pilots can help people re-learn to drive after suffering a stroke. Nearly 75 percent of stroke patients trained on the simulator were able to pass an official driving test, compared with 42 percent of patients who completed standard training, Dr. Abiodun Akinwuntan of the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta and colleagues in Belgium report.

http://www.leadingthecharge.com/stories/news-0083487.html

as we thought: Fish is good for the brain

Eating fish at least once a week is good for the brain, slowing age-related mental decline by the equivalent of three to four years, a study suggests. The research adds to the growing evidence that a fish-rich diet helps keep the mind sharp. Previous studies found that people who ate fish lowered their risk of Alzheimer's disease and stroke. Fish such as salmon and tuna that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids also have been shown to prevent heart disease.

http://www.katu.com/health/story.asp?ID=80305

What about botox? It’s not just for facial wrinkles

Botox helps stroke victims regain muscle ...
New research shows that repeated treatments of botulinum toxin type A (BoNTA) over one year after a stroke can improve muscle tone and reduce pain in the arms and hands, making it easier for patients to dress themselves and perform personal hygiene.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-10/wfub-bie102405.php

Good news about Medicare drug costs

Here’s something everyone will appreciate: The number of Medicare beneficiaries who have coverage for catastrophic drug costs in 2006 would dramatically increase under the soon-to-be-implemented Medicare prescription drug program, research released today shows. The study indicates that the number of seniors who would be paying more than $4,000 in annual out-of-pocket drug costs -- and who would not have any coverage for these catastrophic costs -- would decrease from more than 1.5 million to just 160,000 nationwide in 2006. Furthermore, the study shows nearly all (98 percent) Medicare beneficiaries could have catastrophic coverage once the new Medicare prescription drug benefit takes effect. Currently, just 52 percent of Medicare beneficiaries have coverage for catastrophic drug costs.

http://sev.prnewswire.com/health-care-hospitals/20051026/DCW02426102005-1.html