Stroke

Almost 2.2 million Americans have atrial fibrillation. Fibrillation occurs when the top chambers of the heart quiver instead of beating. Blood is not pumped through the chambers efficiently, and sometimes it pools and clots. The clotting can cause a heart attack. Usually it causes a stroke.

The likelihood of anyone having atrial fibrillation is age. As one’s age increases, so does the risk of fibrillation.

In the past, women have always been considered healthier than men. Now comes news that middle age women with large waist circumferences are not as healthy as originally thought.

Women between 30 and 50 years old with large waist sizes were more likely to have a stroke than men.

Why this data is true still needs to be discovered.

In the interim, all should be aware that obesity holds no

CDC Report Finds Significant Differences in Stroke Prevalence Among U.S. States and Territories
Stroke prevalence varies widely from state to state, with some states and U.S. territories having more than double the stroke prevalence of others, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report, "Prevalence of Stroke - United States, 2005," published in CDC´s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, provides the first data on the percentage of stroke survivors in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories.

A recent study indcated that the mortality rate for stroke patients admitted on a weekend were 13% higher than if admitted on a weekday. This finding corresponds to other past studies that indicate that care suffers on weekends.

According to a new study from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke in Bethesda, Md., silent brain lesions after a stroke may be a predictor for another stroke. These lesions can be seen on an MRI but are called "silent" because the patient has no symptoms.

A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has discovered that an experimental treatment used to clear clogged neck arteries carries a higher-than-expected risk of stroke and death. In fact, the study was halted early over safety concerns.

The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment
believes that an unhealthy diet leads to a shortened life span and causes obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

A new British study, published in May, 2006 in the Journal of the American Medical Association and based on self-reported illnesses and biological markers of disease, compared and assessed the relative heath status of older individuals in England and the United States. The study focused in particular on how (and if) health status varies by important indicators of socioeconomic status.

African Americans have a greatly increased risk for stroke over other groups. The American Stroke Association can help you understand the risk factors and what to do about them.

The time has come once more to check to read those labels on the medications you or your children are taking. If you find phenylpropanolamine on the label, look for an alternative medication.

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 245 / Thursday, December 22, 2005 / Proposed Rules