Cardiovascular Research: Bang for the buck in stroke prevention: New and old drugs ♦ Weight is significant factor in the recurrence of atrial fibrillation

Bang for the buck in stroke prevention: New and old drugs When it comes to preventing stroke, millions of Americans with irregular heartbeats face a choice: Take one of the powerful but pricey new pills they see advertised on TV, or a much cheaper 60-year-old drug can be a hassle to take, and doesn't prevent stroke as well. It doesn't seem like much of a contest -- until you do the math.

MRI-based screening improves assignment of stroke patients to endovascular treatment A new system for determining which patients with severe strokes are most likely to benefit from catheter-based systems for blood clot removal led to a greater percentage of screened patients receiving treatment and to outcomes similar to recent studies that found significant treatment benefits.

Lowering blood pressure below current targets benefits a wide range of patients Using intensive treatment to lower blood pressure below currently recommended targets significantly reduces rates of major cardiovascular events like stroke and heart attack among a wide range of high-risk patients, according to a large meta-analysis involving almost 45000 individuals.

Weight is significant factor in the recurrence of atrial fibrillation, Researchers have found that the recurrence of atrial fibrillation increases in patients who are overweight and decreases when patients are able to lose weight, and keep it off, following a cardiac ablation, according to two new studies

Cardiovascular Research: Study suggests potential connection between low blood sugar and cardiovascular problems ♦ New path to treat stroke

Drug-device combination opens potential new path to treat stroke Scientists developing novel nanotherapeutics for clearing obstructed blood vessels have teamed up stroke researchers to develop a new, highly effective drug-device combination for treating life-threatening blood clots in patients with stroke

Taking cholesterol medication before aneurysm repair improves outcomes Rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm is one of the most dramatic medical emergencies a person can face. It usually strikes without warning, killing approximately 50 percent of those who experience it before they reach a hospital. Of those who do get to a health facility alive, only about 50 percent survive. Now, researchers have found that patients who took cholesterol-lowering medications before endovascular surgery experienced fewer complications and better outcomes

Endovascular intervention compared to standard treatment for stroke In a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke, an endovascular intervention (such as use of a very small catheter to remove a blood clot) compared to standard medical care (administration of a clot dissolving agent) was associated with improved functional outcomes and higher rates of functional independence at 90 days, but no significant difference in symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain) or all-cause mortality.

Study suggests potential connection between low blood sugar and cardiovascular problems Studies have shown an association between strict control of blood sugar and increased mortality. They have also suggested that a consequence of this control is low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which may have adverse effects on the heart. researchers examined the effects of hypoglycemia on cardiovascular autonomic control. They found that in their experimental model of hypoglycemia, there was a clear change in the body's responses to cardiovascular stress