The American Stroke Association has issued a new scientific statement, pointing out the importance of stroke that occur in the eye, and the fact that they may be a warning of future brain strokes. Important points from the document are the following: Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) is a form of stroke that occurs when … Read more
The United States Preventive Services Task Force has recommended against routine screening for carotid artery disease. Screening for carotid artery disease is usually done with ultrasound. It is very often performed in a physician’s office. The goal of screening is to detect narrowing of the carotid artery, with the theory that it will help prevent … Read more
The FDA has approved a new type of medication for the prevention of stroke and cardiovascular disease in selected patients with high triglyceride levels. These patients are usually treated with a type of drug known as a statin. Vascepa, the newly approved medication, is the first new type of drug to to reduce cardiovascular risk … Read more
Last month, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association released a new guideline for the prevention, detection, evaluation and management of high blood pressure in adults. This is the first comprehensive update since 2003. The most important points for the public are new thresholds for starting treatment with medications, and new levels … Read more
At the Apple new product announcements last week, the new Apple Watch was presented as a device to improve health. They announced a new health study to be conducted with Stanford to use the watch to study irregular heart rhythms, specifically atrial fibrillation, a known risk factor for stroke. Apple has stated that their watch … Read more
