Latest news with #UniversityofPittsburghSchoolofMedicine
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
A stroke can lead to severe damage and even death. But what causes a stroke?
People are understandably concerned when health conditions or infectious diseases that were once well-managed start increasing again, but proper education and advancements in medicine mean we often see the opposite. Declining rates of smoking, for instance, have led to far fewer people getting lung cancer. Ditto for the way serious cases of COVID-19 rapidly declined as the number of people who got vaccinated against the virus increased. Despite still being the fifth leading cause of death in the United States, stroke is another example of an area we're seeing improvement. Data from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that far fewer Americans die of stroke today than in years past. This decrease is due, in part, to improvements in controlling major stroke risk factors such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Significant improvements are still needed, however, as someone in the country is dying of stroke about every three minutes. Here's what a stroke is, what causes it and what treatment usually looks like. There are two main types of stroke. An ischemic stroke is what happens when something blocks the arteries or reduces blood flow from the heart to the brain. This blockage deprives brain tissue of vital oxygen and nutrients, which causes brain cells to die within minutes. Sometimes called a brain attack, a hemorrhagic stroke is caused by blood vessels in the brain bursting or leaking, which increases pressure on brain cells and kills or damages them. "About 85% of strokes are ischemic and about 15% are hemorrhagic," says Dr. Lawrence Wechsler, a professor of neurology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. When brain cells are damaged in either way, it can cause difficulty seeing out of one or both eyes, numbness in the face, legs or arms (which usually manifests more on one side of the body than the other), a sudden and acute headache or slurred speech/difficulty talking. "General confusion or difficulty understanding speech can be another sign to look out for," says Dr. Jonathon Parker, a neurosurgeon at Mayo Clinic. Some strokes are more severe than others, with people experiencing only mild confusion or a drooping smile while others can lose mobility or even consciousness. "The severity depends on which part of the brain is affected and how long the brain goes without blood flow – which is why some strokes can sadly be life-threatening," explains Dr. Rosy Thachil, director of the cardiovascular intensive care unit at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst. No one wants high blood pressure. Here's the secret to keeping it low (but not too low). An ischemic stroke is caused by blood vessels becoming narrowed or arteries being blocked by fatty deposits. Other forms of blockage include "plaque buildup in the arteries or blood clots from the heart," says Wechsler. The leaks and ruptures associated with a hemorrhagic stroke can be the result of any number of things that include head trauma, bulges at weak spots in blood vessel walls (known as aneurysms) or uncontrolled high blood pressure. Many of these various causes are preventable or modifiable, explains Dr. John Hanna, a vascular neurologist for the Atlantic Health System in New Jersey. This is why risk factors such as obesity, smoking, excessive drinking and limited physical activity are all recommended against. Medical conditions such as type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, high cholesterol and high blood pressure commonly increase one's risk of stroke and are also often within a person's control to reduce or avoid. "Atrial fibrillation, which is a specific type of irregular heartbeat, can be another risk factor," adds Parker; and taking certain medications is yet another. Two non-avoidable factors that predispose some individuals to vascular issues like stroke are getting older and genetics/a family history of heart disease, says Thachil. What is sleep apnea? The sleep disorder you might have could be why you're sluggish It's critical to get medical treatment as soon as a stroke begins to improve recovery time and diminish or avoid longer-term damage, disability or death. If you suspect a person may be having a stroke, the "F.A.S.T." warning signs can help – as recommended by the American Stroke Association. This acronym includes signs of stroke to look out for that include: F. Face drooping to one side that will be obvious if you ask the person to smile and it appears uneven. A. Arm weakness or numbness that may be apparent if you ask the person to raise both arms and they can't lift one or one arm drifts downward after being raised. S. Speech difficulty such as being hard to get words our or words that sound slurred. T. Time to call 911 if you identify such signs, as a stroke is a medical emergency that requires immediate care. Once in the hospital, "treatment depends on the type and severity of the stroke," says Thachil. Ischemic strokes, he explains, may be treated with clot-busting medications like tPA, or, in more severe cases, with specialized devices introduced through a catheter. "Hemorrhagic strokes require a different approach and are typically managed by neurosurgery," says Hanna. After oxygen stabilization and treatment, blood thinning or antiplatelet medications are often prescribed to decrease the patient's risk of having another stroke. Blood pressure and cardiovascular health are also carefully monitored going forward to prevent future damage. "Recovery approaches such as rehab, medications and/or lifestyle changes," says Thachil, "are tailored to the needs of each individual patient based on the extent of their brain injury." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is a stroke?
USA Today
24-04-2025
- Health
- USA Today
A stroke can lead to severe damage and even death. But what causes a stroke?
A stroke can lead to severe damage and even death. But what causes a stroke? Show Caption Hide Caption Study: Low-calorie sweetener has been linked to risk of heart disease and stroke A common zero-calorie sweetener could raise your risk for heart disease according to a new study. (Scripps News) Scripps News People are understandably concerned when health conditions or infectious diseases that were once well-managed start increasing again, but proper education and advancements in medicine mean we often see the opposite. Declining rates of smoking, for instance, have led to far fewer people getting lung cancer. Ditto for the way serious cases of COVID-19 rapidly declined as the number of people who got vaccinated against the virus increased. Despite still being the fifth leading cause of death in the United States, stroke is another example of an area we're seeing improvement. Data from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that far fewer Americans die of stroke today than in years past. This decrease is due, in part, to improvements in controlling major stroke risk factors such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Significant improvements are still needed, however, as someone in the country is dying of stroke about every three minutes. Here's what a stroke is, what causes it and what treatment usually looks like. What is a stroke? There are two main types of stroke. An ischemic stroke is what happens when something blocks the arteries or reduces blood flow from the heart to the brain. This blockage deprives brain tissue of vital oxygen and nutrients, which causes brain cells to die within minutes. Sometimes called a brain attack, a hemorrhagic stroke is caused by blood vessels in the brain bursting or leaking, which increases pressure on brain cells and kills or damages them. "About 85% of strokes are ischemic and about 15% are hemorrhagic," says Dr. Lawrence Wechsler, a professor of neurology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. When brain cells are damaged in either way, it can cause difficulty seeing out of one or both eyes, numbness in the face, legs or arms (which usually manifests more on one side of the body than the other), a sudden and acute headache or slurred speech/difficulty talking. "General confusion or difficulty understanding speech can be another sign to look out for," says Dr. Jonathon Parker, a neurosurgeon at Mayo Clinic. Some strokes are more severe than others, with people experiencing only mild confusion or a drooping smile while others can lose mobility or even consciousness. "The severity depends on which part of the brain is affected and how long the brain goes without blood flow – which is why some strokes can sadly be life-threatening," explains Dr. Rosy Thachil, director of the cardiovascular intensive care unit at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst. No one wants high blood pressure. Here's the secret to keeping it low (but not too low). What causes strokes? An ischemic stroke is caused by blood vessels becoming narrowed or arteries being blocked by fatty deposits. Other forms of blockage include "plaque buildup in the arteries or blood clots from the heart," says Wechsler. The leaks and ruptures associated with a hemorrhagic stroke can be the result of any number of things that include head trauma, bulges at weak spots in blood vessel walls (known as aneurysms) or uncontrolled high blood pressure. Many of these various causes are preventable or modifiable, explains Dr. John Hanna, a vascular neurologist for the Atlantic Health System in New Jersey. This is why risk factors such as obesity, smoking, excessive drinking and limited physical activity are all recommended against. Medical conditions such as type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, high cholesterol and high blood pressure commonly increase one's risk of stroke and are also often within a person's control to reduce or avoid. "Atrial fibrillation, which is a specific type of irregular heartbeat, can be another risk factor," adds Parker; and taking certain medications is yet another. Two non-avoidable factors that predispose some individuals to vascular issues like stroke are getting older and genetics/a family history of heart disease, says Thachil. What is sleep apnea? The sleep disorder you might have could be why you're sluggish What is the best treatment for stroke? It's critical to get medical treatment as soon as a stroke begins to improve recovery time and diminish or avoid longer-term damage, disability or death. If you suspect a person may be having a stroke, the "F.A.S.T." warning signs can help – as recommended by the American Stroke Association. This acronym includes signs of stroke to look out for that include: F . Face drooping to one side that will be obvious if you ask the person to smile and it appears uneven. . Face drooping to one side that will be obvious if you ask the person to smile and it appears uneven. A . Arm weakness or numbness that may be apparent if you ask the person to raise both arms and they can't lift one or one arm drifts downward after being raised. . Arm weakness or numbness that may be apparent if you ask the person to raise both arms and they can't lift one or one arm drifts downward after being raised. S . Speech difficulty such as being hard to get words our or words that sound slurred. . Speech difficulty such as being hard to get words our or words that sound slurred. T. Time to call 911 if you identify such signs, as a stroke is a medical emergency that requires immediate care. Once in the hospital, "treatment depends on the type and severity of the stroke," says Thachil. Ischemic strokes, he explains, may be treated with clot-busting medications like tPA, or, in more severe cases, with specialized devices introduced through a catheter. "Hemorrhagic strokes require a different approach and are typically managed by neurosurgery," says Hanna. After oxygen stabilization and treatment, blood thinning or antiplatelet medications are often prescribed to decrease the patient's risk of having another stroke. Blood pressure and cardiovascular health are also carefully monitored going forward to prevent future damage. "Recovery approaches such as rehab, medications and/or lifestyle changes," says Thachil, "are tailored to the needs of each individual patient based on the extent of their brain injury."
South China Morning Post
23-04-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
As antibiotic resistance grows, study showing how superbugs kill others offers hope
Daria Van Tyne did not expect to see changes in a population of bacteria taken from her hospital in Pennsylvania, in the United States. Advertisement Her hunch was wrong, but the results of her recent study point to a potential solution for antibiotic resistance. Bacteria are ancient organisms that have learned advanced evolutionary behaviours over billions of years. The particular strain Van Tyne was studying, Enterococcus faecium, exists in the guts of humans and many animals and is hard to kill. Results of a recent study overseen by Daria Van Tyne point to a potential solution for antibiotic resistance. Photo: 'As a researcher, I'm very interested in how the bacteria that make people sick in the hospital are evolving and changing over time,' says Van Tyne, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine's Division of Infectious Diseases. Advertisement She is the senior author of a recent paper, published in the medical journal Nature Microbiology, which found three new strains of drug-resistant Enterococcus faecium, some with the capacity to completely wipe out their neighbours.
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Spinal cord stimulation restores movement for people with 'muscle wasting' disorder
People with spinal muscle atrophy (SMA), an inherited neuromuscular disease, usually experience muscle weakness that impacts movement. New research suggests that electrical spinal cord stimulation could improve muscle function for these patients, even restoring the capability to walk. In studies at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, sessions of spinal cord stimulation were shown to restore motor neuron activity and improve muscle strength in the legs for patients with SMA. The findings were published in Nature Medicine on Feb. 5. Spinal Cord Treatment Restores Function For Paralyzed Patients In Study: 'New Hope' "The patients all had a rare disease that destroys neurons in the spinal cord (much like polio) due to a genetic disorder from birth," Dr. Peter Konrad, chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery at WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute in West Virginia, told Fox News Digital. (Konrad was not involved in the study.) Read On The Fox News App "The disease weakens the legs and ability to walk … causing a form of slow paralysis. Stimulation of the input to the remaining neurons was thought to improve strength and stamina in patients treated this way." Study co-author Marco Capogrosso, assistant professor of neurological surgery at Pitt School of Medicine, said that two things need to happen to counteract neurodegeneration: neuron death must be stopped and the function of surviving neurons must be restored. "In this study, we proposed an approach to treat the root cause of neural dysfunction, complementing existing neuroprotective treatments with a new approach that reverses nerve cell dysfunction," Capogrosso said in a press release. Three people with SMA participated in the study. For one month, they received spinal cord stimulation five times a week for four hours each. At the end of the trial period, they all experienced "improved motoneuron function, reduced fatigue and improved strength and walking in all participants," the release stated. "The three patients saw an average of 40% improvement in step length, up to 180% improvement in strength, and 26-minute improvement in walking time," said Konrad, based on his review of the study. For more Health articles, visit "That's a big deal for patients with this condition, who depend on assistive devices to move about with little stamina." One of the participants, Doug McCullough, was experiencing advanced symptoms and had difficulty walking. New Brain Therapy Allows Paralyzed Patients To Walk Again: 'I Feel My Legs' "Because my hip flexors are so weak, I basically have this waddling gait where my hips sway back and forth and I swing my legs out to the side because I can't pick them straight up," he said in the release. "You could clearly see from the video that my walk was improved and that I was walking faster. I had a little more natural gait. It still wasn't completely normal, but it was better than what it was before the study." Although SMA is a progressive disease that worsens over time, the patients in the study had noticeable improvements, according to study co-author Elvira Pirondini, assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Pitt School of Medicine. "Over the four weeks of treatment, our study participants improved in several clinical outcomes, with improvements in activities of daily living," she said in the release. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter "For instance, toward the end of the study, one patient reported being able to walk from their home to the lab without becoming tired." The study is a "proof of concept" that gives hope to people with this type of genetic disability, according to Konrad. "There has been no major breakthrough in curing this disease, and so treatment is still focused on helping improve their quality of life," he told Fox News Digital. "It also shows that devices such as spinal cord stimulation and other types of neuromodulation are a safe and effective method to treat paralysis when there is little to offer in the form of medications or gene therapy." Looking ahead, the team plans to continue research with other SMA patients in a new clinical trial to test the treatment's safety and efficacy. In the future, they hope to apply this therapy to other neurodegenerative diseases, such as ALS or Huntington's article source: Spinal cord stimulation restores movement for people with 'muscle wasting' disorder
