Articles related to STROKE

What is the best strategy for preventing stroke in patients with non-valvular AF: anticoagulants or left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO)? The answer depends on the individual patient’s combination of stroke and bleeding risks. In this study, combined risks favored LAAO for higher bleeding risk, but that benefit became less certain at higher stroke risks.

Since 1972, clinicians have used the Cookie Theft image to assist them diagnose speech and language problems as well as spatial and visual anomalies. However, a position presented in the Journal of the American Medical Association – Neurology suggests that frequent exposure to the Cookie Theft image may reduce patients’ self-confidence and undermine their sense of belonging and trust.

Patients who survive severe intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) typically have poor functional outcome in the short term and understanding of future recovery has been limited. These findings indicate that hospital events significantly influenced long-term functional recovery after ICH and IVH, suggesting that aggressive ICH and IVH resolution and prevention of systemic complications and cerebral ischemic injury may promote better outcomes among patients with ICH and IVH with high clinical severity.

A meta-analysis published in JAMA Internal Medicine has concluded that the link between statin-induced LDL lowering and reduction of CV outcomes may not be as robust as previously assumed. According to the researchers, the absolute risk reduction associated with statin use for all-cause mortality was 0.8% (95% CI, 0.4-1.2), whereas for MI it was 1.3% (95% CI, 0.9-1.7) and for stroke it was 0.4% (95% CI, 0.2-0.6). Absolute risk reduction figures were slightly higher for secondary prevention than for primary prevention.

Improvements in brain imaging and a deeper understanding of the natural history of acute cerebral ischemia are erasing the concept of “transient ischemic attack” (TIA). The better imaging is revealing that symptomatic ischemic attacks – even those with quite transient signs and symptoms – leave residual damage to the brain.

This CME program from the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine explores a patient with a history of major depressive disorder, progressively worsening altered mental status, intermittent blank staring, blurred vision, bilateral incoordination of the upper and lower extremities, difficulty following commands, and decreased verbal communication. Would you rule out stroke? Serotonin syndrome? Earn some credits while discovering the diagnosis.