The Stroke Survivors' Declaration (UK)

At the heart of the work of the Campaigns and Policy team is the Stroke Survivors' declaration. Written by over 120 stroke survivors, it sets out what levels of care and support should be provided when survivors come out of hospital after a stroke, keen to get on with getting back to their best possible quality of life. The declaration builds on existing policy and best practice - and so does not require those who plan or provide health and social care to find extra resources, merely to ensure that they "get the basics right more of the time". The declaration covers issues such as ensuring stroke survivors' needs are regularly assessed, ensuring carers are not left to fend on their own (without support) and ensuring the benefits systems are truly aware of the financial impact of stroke and their role in supporting people through this difficult time. Given the fact that health and social care are devolved issues, namely decided in each of the 4 nations of the UK, there are separate versions for each of the nations

Stroke victim unable to feel sadness (UK)

Malcolm Myatt, 68, who spent 19 weeks in hospital and lost the feeling in his left side, was told by doctors that the stroke had hit the frontal lobe of his brain, which controls the emotions. He has since noticed a number of changes, including to his short term memory, but believes that the loss of sadness from his emotional repertoire is a positive. Experts have confirmed that it is not uncommon for strokes to cause psychological, emotional and behavioural changes. The retired lorry driver said: "I am never depressed. Being sad wouldn't help anything anyway. I would definitely rather be happy all the time than the other way round. It's an advantage really. "The stroke could have become my worst enemy but I wouldn't let it. Now I barely even notice that I don't feel sadness.”

Ability of brain to protect itself from damage revealed (UK)

The origin of an innate ability the brain has to protect itself from damage that occurs in stroke has been explained for the first time. Oxford University researchers hope that harnessing this inbuilt biological mechanism, identified in rats, could help in treating stroke and preventing other neurodegenerative diseases in the future. "We have shown for the first time that the brain has mechanisms that it can use to protect itself and keep brain cells alive," says Professor Alastair Buchan, Head of the Medical Sciences Division and Dean of the Medical School at Oxford University, who led the work. The researchers report their findings in the journal Nature Medicine and were funded by the UK Medical Research Council and National Institute for Health Research. Stroke is the third most common cause of death in the UK. Every year around 150,000 people in the UK have a stroke. It occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. When this happens, brain cells are deprived of the oxygen and nutrients they need to function properly, and they begin to die. "Time is brain, and the clock has started immediately after the onset of a stroke. Cells will start to die somewhere from minutes to at most 1 or 2 hours after the stroke," says Professor Buchan

Englishman wakes up from stroke speaking fluent Welsh

Alun Morgan, 81, was evacuated to Wales during the Second World War but left 70 years ago. During his time there he was surrounded by Welsh speakers but never learned the language himself. He left the country aged 10 and lived his life in England and recently suffered a severe stroke. But when Mr Morgan regained consciousness three weeks later, doctors discovered he was speaking Welsh and could not remember any English. It is thought that the Welsh Mr Morgan heard as a boy had sunk in without him knowing and was unlocked after he suffered the stroke. Mr Morgan, who is retired and lives with his wife Yvonne in Bathwick, Somerset, is now being taught to speak English again. "I'd not lived in Wales since I was evacuated there during the war. Gradually the English words came back, but it wasn't easy," he said

"The clock is ticking for stroke patients" - Canada

Adults under the age of 50 are risking death or permanent disability far too often by not calling 9-1-1 or their local emergency number at the first sign of stroke, according to new data released by the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Stroke Network. The rest of Canadians aren't doing much better. And that spells trouble because there are 50,000 strokes in Canada each year. "When it comes to stroke, there are two enemies: the clock and the clot," says stroke neurologist Dr. Michael Hill, who speaks on behalf of the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Stroke Network. "Canadians need to understand that the clock starts ticking at the first signs of a stroke, and every second of delay leads to more brain cell death and greater risk of death or disability. "The statistics - collected from about 10,000 patient charts at 295 hospitals across Canada - found that half of all adults under the age of 50 took longer than eight hours to arrive at a hospital emergency department. Across all age groups, women took slightly longer than men to arrive at hospital

Strokes in young people 'rising', study finds (USA)

A new study shows that the risk for stroke is becoming more common among people younger than 55 years old. The study, supported by National Institutes of Health and published in the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, found that strokes among people under 55 made up a greater percentage of all strokes over time, growing from about 13 percent in 1993-94 to 19 percent in 2005. "The reasons for this trend could be a rise in risk factors such as diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol," said study author Brett Kissela, MD, MS, with the University Of Cincinnati College Of Medicine in Ohio and a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology

No proof that gum disease causes heart disease or stroke (USA)

Despite popular belief, gum disease hasn't been proven to cause atherosclerotic heart disease or stroke, and treating gum disease hasn't been proven to prevent heart disease or stroke, according to a new scientific statement published in Circulation, an American Heart Association journal. Keeping teeth and gums healthy is important for your overall health. However, an American Heart Association expert committee - made up of cardiologists, dentists and infectious diseases specialists - found no conclusive scientific evidence that gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, causes or increases the rates of cardiovascular diseases. Current data don't indicate whether regular brushing and flossing or treatment of gum disease can cut the incidence of atherosclerosis, the narrowing of the arteries that can cause heart attacks and strokes. Observational studies have noted associations between gum disease and cardiovascular disease, but the 500 journal articles and studies reviewed by the committee didn't confirm a causative link

Ambulance staff 'can speed up stroke treatment'

Treating stroke in specialised ambulances en route to hospital is feasible and could boost the number of patients who receive life-saving therapy, experts believe. Mobile stroke units can halve the time it takes a patient to get clot-busting drugs, a small German trial found. The drugs only work if given within four and a half hours of stroke onset. Since not all patients are suitable candidates, a rapid assessment is critical, The Lancet Neurology reports. Clot-busting drugs (thrombolytics) can be effective if the stroke is caused by a blood clot (the cause in about 80% of cases), but not if it is due to a bleed. The faster an eligible patient receives clot-busting treatment, the better their chances are of surviving and reducing long-term disability

Mayo Clinic finds estrogen may prevent younger menopausal women from strokes

Estrogen may prevent strokes in premature or early menopausal women, Mayo Clinic researchers say. Their findings challenge the conventional wisdom that estrogen is a risk factor for stroke at all ages. The study was published in the journal Menopause. Researchers combined the results from a recent Mayo Clinic study with six other studies from across the world and found that estrogen is protective for stroke before age 50. That is roughly the average age when women go through menopause. "We were very surprised because these results were unexpected," says study author Walter Rocca, M.D., an epidemiologist and neurologist at Mayo Clinic. "The old idea that estrogen is always a problem in the brain has to be corrected." Estrogen can be a problem in older women, he explains, but in younger women, estrogen may be important to protect the brain from strokes. The study has implications for women who experience premature (before age 40) or early menopause (before age 45) from natural causes or from ovary removal. Women in these groups should consider taking estrogen up to approximately age 50 to prevent stroke, Dr. Rocca says. Ischemic stroke occurs as a result of an obstruction within a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain. According to the American Stroke Association, these types of strokes account for 87 percent of all stroke cases

Apple a day 'keeps strokes away'

It is a well known saying that 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away'. But now nutritionists say there is some truth in the assertion - and believe that eating just one apple or pear daily could half the risk of having a stroke. Both are examples of white-fleshed fruit, which is important because that means they contain large amounts of a plant compound called quercetin. This biochemical has been shown to reduce inflammation, which is relevant because inflammation is linked to hardening of the arteries: cardiovascular disease. Researchers at Wageningen University in the Netherlands who studied 20,000 adults, found those who ate more white-fleshed fruit and vegetables were less likely to suffer a stroke over 10 years. They calculated that stroke risk decreased by nine per cent for every 25g (just under one ounce) of apple or pear eaten each day

US stroke rates 'rising in young'

More children and young adults in the US are having strokes - with unhealthy lifestyles being a likely cause, scientists have said. Researchers at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analysed hospital data on up to eight million patients a year between 1995 and 2008. In Annals of Neurology, they say stroke rates in five to 44-year-olds rose by about a third in under 10 years. Higher blood pressure, diabetes and obesity were common in stroke patients

Strokes rise among pregnant women, new moms; obesity, high blood pressure may be reasons

Strokes have spiked in the U.S. among pregnant women and new mothers, probably because more of them are obese and suffering from high blood pressure and heart disease, researchers report. Hospitalizations for pregnancy-related strokes and "mini strokes" jumped from about 4,100 in 1994-95 to around 6,300 in 2006-07, a 54 percent increase, researchers said, extrapolating from figures in a large federal database. "That is a very, very alarm-raising statistic that we need to take extremely seriously," said Dr. Olajide Williams, a neurologist at Columbia University and Harlem Hospital and an American Stroke Association spokesman. "We need to be more aggressive in screening these women for these risk factors." - AP

Poor countries have disproportionately higher burden of disease from stroke than from heart disease

Countries with lower national income have disproportionately higher rates of death and disability associated with stroke compared with ischemic heart disease, according to a study published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. Together, ischemic heart disease and stroke are the two leading causes of death worldwide. Ischemic heart disease accounts for 12.2 percent of all deaths and stroke for 9.7 percent, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Burden of Disease Program. But the relative rates of death and disability from heart disease and stroke vary considerably from country to country

Stroke? There's an app for that (Canada)

Canadian doctors in Alberta are using iPhones and new software to diagnose and prescribe treatment for stroke victims in rural areas, a radiologist said. The application was designed by Calgary Scientific Inc. and is called ResolutionMD Mobile, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported. The software transmits three-dimensional images of the patient's brain from CT scans to neurologists and radiologists who direct treatment in the critical minutes after a stroke, radiology Professor Ross Mitchell told the broadcaster

Sex and coffee 'trigger stroke'

Coffee, sex and blowing your nose could increase the risk of a type of stroke, say researchers in the Netherlands. The study on 250 patients identified eight risk factors linked to bleeding on the brain. They all increase blood pressure which could result in blood vessels bursting, according to research published in the journal Stroke. The Stroke Association said more research was needed to see if the triggers caused the rupture. More than 150,000 people in the UK have a stroke each year with nearly 29,000 due to bleeding on the brain - BBC

Study suggests lower stroke risk in women who drink at least a cup of coffee a day

"Women who enjoy a daily dose of coffee may like this perk: It might lower their risk of stroke. Women in a Swedish study who drank at least a cup of coffee every day had a 22 to 25 percent lower risk of stroke, compared to those who drank less coffee or none at all. "Coffee drinkers should rejoice," said Dr. Sharonne N. Hayes, a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. "Coffee is often made out to be potentially bad for your heart. There really hasn't been any study that convincingly said coffee is bad." "If you are drinking coffee now, you may be doing some good and you are likely not doing harm," she added. But Hayes and other doctors say the study shouldn't send non-coffee drinkers running to their local coffee shop. The study doesn't prove that coffee lowers stroke risk, only that coffee drinkers tend to have a lower stroke risk."

Drugs for heartbeat problem may cut dementia risk (UK)

Treating stroke survivors for a heartbeat problem called atrial fibrillation might prevent many patients from going on to develop dementia, UK experts believe. Research into nearly 50,000 patients' records found that AF after a stroke more than doubles the risk of dementia. Doctors say we should now investigate whether more vigorous treatment with drugs to control AF might delay or even prevent dementia. The work appears in Neurology journal. Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disturbance and affects up to 500,000 people in the UK. Although not usually life-threatening in itself, it does increase the risk of stroke. Blood-thinning drugs and medication to slow the irregular heartbeat are often prescribed to reduce stroke risk

Stroke patients benefit from family involvement in exercise therapy

"Your family's involvement in your exercise therapy could significantly improve your function and recovery after stroke, according to a study in the March print issue of Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association. Researchers found that adding family-assisted exercise therapy to routine physical therapy after stroke improved motor function, balance, distance walked and ability to perform daily living activities. It also lowered the strain on the family member, who said participation lowered stress and was empowering. "It's a win-win situation for everyone," said Emma Stokes, Ph.D., the study's principal investigator and Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland. "People with stroke, their families and healthcare providers share in the benefit." The study involved 40 male and female stroke survivors, all Caucasian. Half received routine exercise therapy, while the others received the FAmily Mediated Exercise intervention (FAME) in addition to routine therapy"

Diet soda may raise odds of vascular events; salt linked to stroke risk

"Even if you drink diet soda - instead of the sugar variety - you could still have a much higher risk of vascular events compared to those who don't drink soda, according to research presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2011. In findings involving 2,564 people in the large, multi-ethnic Northern Manhattan Study (NOMAS), scientists said people who drank diet soda every day had a 61 percent higher risk of vascular events than those who reported no soda drinking. "If our results are confirmed with future studies, then it would suggest that diet soda may not be the optimal substitute for sugar-sweetened beverages for protection against vascular outcomes," said Hannah Gardener, Sc.D., lead author and epidemiologist at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Miami, Fla. In separate research using 2,657 participants also in the Manhattan study, scientists found that high salt intake, independent of the hypertension it causes, was linked to a dramatically increased risk of ischemic strokes (when a blood vessel blockage cuts off blood flow to the brain). In the study, people who consumed more than 4,000 milligrams (mg) per day of sodium had more than double the risk of stroke compared to those consuming less than 1,500 mg per day"

Memory may signal stroke risk

Memory problems and other cognitive declines may signal increased stroke risk, a U.S. researcher says. Abraham Letter of the University of Alabama at Birmingham says those who scored in the bottom 20 percent on the memory test were 3.5 times more likely to have a stroke than those scoring in the top 20 percent. Letter and colleagues also found at age 50, those who scored in the bottom 20 percent of the memory test were 9.4 times more likely to later have a stroke than those in the top 20 percent, but the difference was not as large at older ages. "This study shows we might get a better idea of who is at high risk of stroke by including a couple simple tests when we are evaluating people who already have some stroke risk," Letter says in a statement. Letter and colleagues tested people - average age of 67 - who had never had a stroke and then tracked them by phone up to 4.5 years. A total of 17,851 people took a word recall memory test. The findings are scheduled to be presented in Honolulu at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in April