OLD NEWS IS OLD NEWS—BUT NOT ALWAYS

Although the first two of my own four strokes occurred 4 years ago on May 26 and May 27, 2002, I never tire of reading the news about strokes or hearing what’s going on in the field of stroke neurology. I hope that you feel the same way. It’s better to be informed than to be ignorant. I like to keep up with the latest news and research, just in case lightning strikes again, perhaps my husband and I will know what to do and how to get the best care. I believe that when I had my stroke, I got the best care possible. While, for a lot of reasons, it’s unlikely it will happen to me again, I never know for sure and I want to be prepared.

With that in mind, May produced news about a number of studies and other considerations related to strokes. Topics included:

• The consequences of a delay in seeking treatment
• The Vioxx controversy
• Measures for reducing the risk of strokes
• And – one more time -- gender differences in stroke impact.
• Finally, pay attention, you folks from the UK, as well as us Americans: Researchers have found a strange anomaly about the health of Americans versus the health of the English.

So, here goes….

DON’T DELAY WHERE STROKE IS CONCERNED

New research shows why some people delay seeking treatment for stroke symptoms. Those patients may size up their symptoms and wrongly decide their problem isn't urgent enough to get emergency care. That may be a dangerous mistake. So says a study of 209 patients hospitalized for ischemic stroke, the most common type of stroke. In ischemic stroke, blood flow to the brain is blocked. Clot-busting drugs can help, but those drugs must be given within the first few hours after symptoms start.

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/120/113707.htm

Does Stopping Vioxx Stop the Risk? it depends on whom you ask.

Do stroke and heart attack heart attack risks linked to the drug Vioxx continue after people stop taking it? Yes, some leading cardiologists say. No, says Merck, which made Vioxx until pulling the painkiller off the market in September 2004. Experts and drug company officials disagree about the long-term heart attack and stroke risk of Vioxx.

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/122/114574

New Guidelines for Stroke Prevention

Guidelines released by the American Stroke Association highlight some well-established and less well-known risk factors for stroke, as well as measures people can take to lower their risk.

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/121/114412 

Men More Likely to Die From Stroke

Men may be more likely to die or develop serious complications from a stroke than women. A new study shows that despite the fact that men tend to have strokes at an earlier age than women, they face an 8% higher risk of death and 90% higher risk of developing pneumonia as a complication of a stroke. 

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/121/114481

White Americans far less healthy than English peers

White, middle-aged Americans are sicker than their counterparts in England when it comes to diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer and lung disease, a study shows. WHY? Experts are scratching their heads over this one. Some point to Americans' stress, financial insecurity and a frayed government safety net.

Adding to the bad news for Americans is that the United States spends $5,200 per person for health care - double what England spends.

 http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/politics/14482976.htm