Stroke

Cardiovascular departments are playing a role in stroke interventions at numerous health systems, working as part of the stroke care team with neurologists, radiology and the emergency department. Stroke first has be be classified as ischemic or hemorrhagic. These have very different care pathways. Ischemic strokes are increasingly being treated with neurological-interventional therapy that includes catheter based mechanical thrombectomy to remove the clot. This is a more aggressive treatment compared to traditional IV administration of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) thrombolytic therapy to dissolve the clot. Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and  intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) brain bleeds can also be treated in some cases stent flow diverters and embolization coils. 

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COVID-19, other infections linked to major cardiovascular risks—researchers push for vaccination

Adults are three times as likely to have a heart attack or stroke after a COVID-19 infection than when they are healthy. The risks are even greater for the flu.

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Poor oral health tied to much higher risk of heart attack, stroke

Regularly going to the dentist, researchers added, may reduce cardiovascular risks by a significant margin.

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FDA approves oral semaglutide for reducing cardiovascular risks in adults with type 2 diabetes

Rybelsus from Novo Nordisk is officially the first oral GLP-1 drug approved for this indication. The FDA's decision was based on the SOUL trial, which included data from more than 9,000 patients with type 2 diabetes.

Positron emission tomography (PET) nuclear imaging has seen rapid expansion in cardiology and oncology due to its improve accuracy over SPECT and its ability to expand into new areas of cardiovascular imaging. A new review in the American Heart Association journal Stroke outlines another possible use of PET to assess carotid artery atherosclerosis for stroke prevention. Figure courtesy Stroke, https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/STROKEAHA.125.050399

PET holds promise for carotid plaque assessments

PET has already gained significant momentum in recent years. Now, researchers are pointing to another possible use for the popular imaging modality: assessing carotid artery atherosclerosis.

Contego Medical, a North Carolina-based medical device company, has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its new all-in-one carotid stenting offering, the Neuroguard IEP System

Medtronic launches full distribution of new 3-in-1 carotid stent

The device, manufactured by Contego Medical, was designed with rising procedure volumes and stroke risks in mind. 

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Plant-based diets linked to lower dementia risk for vulnerable heart patients

Adults with a history of CVD, type 2 diabetes and stroke were all associated with a lower dementia risk if they ate a whole food, plant-based diet. The study, published in JACC: Advances, was based on data from more than 71,000 U.K. Biobank participants. 

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DAPT during valve-in-valve TAVR may reduce stroke risk—more data still required

New research suggests there may be a cardiovascular benefit to considering dual antiplatelet therapy for valve-in-valve TAVR patients.

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Medtech companies team up for new robot capable of treating stroke, aneurysm

Siemens Healthineers and Styker are collaborating on a brand new robotic system that can perform a variety of neurovascular procedures.