American Indians Face the Highest Odds for Stroke

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• March 4, 2021
• Full Page

THURSDAY, March 4, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- While strokes strike many Americans, a new study shows the risk is particularly high among American Indians.

Researchers already knew that American Indians had the highest risk of atrial fibrillation, which i...

Give Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients Blood Thinners to Help Save Lives: Study

• Robert Preidt
• February 12, 2021
• Full Page

Giving blood thinners to COVID-19 patients soon after they're hospitalized could reduce their risk of dying.

That's the conclusion of a new study that analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on nearly 4,300 patients, average age 68, who were hospitaliz...

Strong Blood Thinners May Help COVID Patients, But Degree of Illness Is Key

• Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
• January 25, 2021
• Full Page

Full doses of blood thinners can benefit patients hospitalized with COVID-19, but the severity of their illness matters, researchers say.

The new global analysis found that hospitalized patients with moderate COVID-19 may benefit from the drugs' clot-preventing powers...

COVID-19 Ups Complication Risks During Childbirth

• Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
• January 20, 2021
• Full Page

Women who have COVID-19 during childbirth are more likely to face complications than moms-to-be without the coronavirus, researchers say.

Fortunately, the absolute risk for complications for any one woman is very low (less than 1%). But the relative risks for problems --...

Estrogen Taken During Gender-Affirming Surgeries Won't Raise Blood Clot Risk: Study

• January 18, 2021
• Full Page

Most transgender women can safely continue their estrogen treatments during gender-affirming surgery, a new study finds.

Estrogen therapy and surgery can increase the risk of blood clots, so experts have suggested that transgender women stop taking the hormone when havin...

Trials Find Full-Dose Blood Thinners May Harm, Not Help, COVID Patients in ICU

• Robert Preidt
• December 23, 2020
• Full Page

Because COVID-19 is known to raise the odds for dangerous blood clots, blood thinners have quickly become part of routine care for many hospitalized patients.

But three clinical trials testing full doses of these drugs in COVID-19 patients have now paused recruitment of ...

Black Women at Higher Heart Risk During Pregnancy

• Amy Norton
• December 16, 2020
• Full Page

Although heart problems are rare complications of pregnancy, Black women face a heightened risk -- even if they have comfortable incomes and health insurance, a new study finds.

It's well established that the United States has a higher maternal mortality rate than other ...

More Clues to Why Kids Have Much Milder COVID-19

• Robert Preidt
• December 8, 2020
• Full Page

A stronger immune system and healthier blood vessels are among reasons kids are less likely than adults to have severe COVID-19, according to experts who reviewed research from around the world.

"Most children with COVID-19 have no or only mild symptoms, most commonly fe...

Heart Anatomy May Put Blacks at Higher Stroke Risk

• November 25, 2020
• Full Page

Black Americans face a heightened risk of stroke, and a new study suggests that abnormalities in the heart's upper chambers play a role.

Experts said the findings, published Nov. 25 in the journal Neurology, point to an under-recognized factor in Black Americans...

Are High-Dose Blood Thinners Needed for Severe COVID-19?

• Robert Preidt
• November 19, 2020
• Full Page

Treating COVID-19 patients with high doses of blood thinners doesn't appear to help them and could be harmful, researchers report.

"COVID-19 patients appear to have an increased incidence of blood clots. Many hospitals and health care providers began to use high doses of...

Asians at Higher Risk of COVID-Linked Stroke: Study

• Robert Preidt
• November 9, 2020
• Full Page

Asian COVID-19 patients in the United Kingdom have a higher stroke risk than other racial/ethnic groups, a new study finds.

Researchers analyzed data on 1,470 stroke patients admitted to 13 hospitals in England and Scotland between March and July 2020, during the first w...

Arm Squeezes With Blood Pressure Cuffs Might Aid Recovery After Stroke

• Steven Reinberg
• October 8, 2020
• Full Page

After administering clot-busting drugs to treat a stroke, using blood pressure cuffs to squeeze each arm might aid recovery, a new, small Chinese study suggests.

In the technique -- called remote ischemic post-conditioning -- the flow of oxygen-rich blood is repeate...

COVID-19 ICU Patients Have High Risk of Clots, Research Shows

• Alan Mozes
• October 6, 2020
• Full Page

Hospitalized COVID-19 patients face an increased risk of developing dangerous blood clots, a new review indicates.

The odds of a clot are highest for the most critically ill patients. Analysis of 66 studies found that 23% of COVID-19 patients in an intensive car...

Kids Who Need Steroids Face Risk of Diabetes, Other Ills

• Serena Gordon
• September 24, 2020
• Full Page

Children who need to take oral steroids for chronic or life-threatening conditions can experience serious side effects, according to new research.

Children with autoimmune disorders such as juvenile arthritis, psoriasis or inflammatory bowel disease are often prescri...

Elevated Blood Clotting Factor Linked to Worse COVID-19 Outcomes

• Serena McNiff
• September 16, 2020
• Full Page

Most people now know that COVID-19 can cause blood clots, potentially leading to paralysis, stroke, heart attack and death.

While it's not clear precisely how SARS-CoV-2 causes clots, a new study suggests that the amount of a particular protein -- called factor V --...

Rare 'Brain Vein' Strokes Are on the Rise

• Serena McNiff
• August 26, 2020
• Full Page

Most strokes strike when an artery in the brain suddenly becomes blocked, but new research shows a rarer cause of strokes is becoming more common.

It's called cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT), and it happens when a vein in the brain is clogged. While CVT is estimated...

Scientists Find Source of COVID Clots

• Steven Reinberg
• July 2, 2020
• Full Page

COVID-19 is linked to potentially fatal blood clots. Researchers now believe they've found out how they occur, which potentially could lead to better treatment.

"While many forms of illness can generate blood clots, the endothelial cells that line the inside of bloo...

Researchers Latch Onto the Leech's Genome

• Robert Preidt
• June 19, 2020
• Full Page

A mainstay of 18th-century medicine -- the lowly leech -- has made something of a comeback in the 21st century. That's largely due to powerful blood thinners the parasitic worm secretes naturally.

Now, genetic research could give a major boost to the medical use of l...

Disparities in Stroke Care Put Rural Americans at Risk: Study

• Robert Preidt
• June 18, 2020
• Full Page

Stroke patients in rural areas of the United States are less likely to get cutting-edge treatments and more likely to die than those in cities.

That's the takeaway from a new analysis of nationwide data on more than 790,000 adults who were hospitalized with stroke be...

DVT Clots Strike Many Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients: Study

• E.J. Mundell
• May 29, 2020
• Full Page

In a small French study, three-quarters of all COVID-19 patients admitted to intensive care went on to experience a dangerous blood clot in the leg that can travel to the lungs and potentially cause death.

Known as a DVT, the condition first gained notoriety as so-c...

COVID-19 Damages Lungs Differently From the Flu: Study

• Robert Preidt
• May 22, 2020
• Full Page

New research reveals that COVID-19 attacks the lungs in a far different manner from the flu.

Unlike most respiratory diseases, significant impacts on blood vessels were seen in the lungs of seven COVID-19 patients. The lung tissue of those patients was compared to lu...

Obesity Ups Odds for Dangerous Lung Clots in COVID-19 Patients

• Steven Reinberg
• May 20, 2020
• Full Page

Obesity makes COVID-19 worse and may lead to deadly blood clots in the lungs, a new study finds.

The researchers said that obese patients with COVID-19 may have nearly three times the risk of developing what is known as a pulmonary embolism.

"Clinicians c...

Compression Stockings May Not Be Needed After Surgeries, Study Finds

• Amy Norton
• May 14, 2020
• Full Page

A new study offers reassurance that many surgery patients can safely be freed from one discomfort of recovery -- wearing compression stockings to prevent blood clots.

The garments, which help keep blood from pooling in the lower legs, have long been used post-surgery...

Studies Show COVID-19 Can Infect and Harm Digestive Organs

• E.J. Mundell
• May 14, 2020
• Full Page

The new coronavirus isn't just attacking the lungs: New research shows it's causing harm to the gastrointestinal tract, especially in more advanced cases of COVID-19.

A variety of imaging scans performed on hospitalized COVID-19 patients showed bowel abnormalities, a...

COVID-19 Tied to Blood Clots; Blood Thinners Could Boost Survival

• E.J. Mundell
• May 6, 2020
• Full Page

As more evidence emerges that COVID-19 is tied to an increased risk of dangerous blood clots, new research suggests that giving patients blood thinners may improve their odds of survival.

"Using anticoagulants should be considered when patients get admitted to the ER...

Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrests On the Rise During COVID-19 Crisis

• E.J. Mundell
• April 30, 2020
• Full Page

Stress placed on the heart by COVID-19, a hesitancy by people to call 911, and even reluctance on the part of bystanders to perform CPR may be boosting rates of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, a new report finds.

The data comes from four provinces in northern Italy, ...

COVID-19 Now Linked With Strokes in Young Patients

• Dennis Thompson
• April 29, 2020
• Full Page

COVID-19 might raise stroke risk in young and middle-aged adults, with virus-linked blood clots causing severe damage to their brains, doctors warn.

Word has already spread that the novel coronavirus appears to increase clotting in some patients, experts say.

Could Tiny Blood Clots Make COVID-19 More Lethal?

• Dennis Thompson
• April 21, 2020
• Full Page

The COVID-19 coronavirus appears to promote blood clotting throughout the body, which might help explain why the germ is so much more deadly than other members of its viral family, experts say.

Some people severely ill with COVID-19 develop blood clots in their lungs...

COVID-19 Can Trigger Serious Heart Injuries

• Amy Norton
• April 15, 2020
• Full Page

As the toll of the COVID-19 pandemic grows, it is increasingly clear the infection is more than a lung disease. Many patients are developing heart complications, though the reasons are not fully understood.

People with heart disease or a history of stroke are at incr...

Certain Cancers Linked to Higher A-Fib Risk, Study Finds

• Robert Preidt
• March 18, 2020
• Full Page

People with a history of certain cancers have more than double the risk for the heart rhythm disorder atrial fibrillation, a new study says.

A-fib is a common disorder that can lead to palpitations, dizziness and fatigue. Untreated, it can cause blood clots, stroke a...

What's the Best Blood Thinner If You Have A-Fib?

• Amy Norton
• March 9, 2020
• Full Page

People with the heart condition atrial fibrillation often use blood thinners to help prevent a stroke. Now a new study suggests one of those medications might stand out as safer and more effective.

Researchers found that a-fib patients on the drug Eliquis (apixaban) ...

Only 1 in 5 Have Fast Access to State-of-the-Art Stroke Care

• Robert Preidt
• March 6, 2020
• Full Page

Too few Americans have quick access to a medical center that can perform a procedure to remove stroke-causing blood clots, new research shows.

For the study, researchers examined nationwide availability of endovascular thrombectomy -- removal of a blood clot with a m...

U.S. Veterans With Blocked Leg Arteries Seeing Better Results

• Robert Preidt
• February 25, 2020
• Full Page

Fewer U.S. veterans are having leg amputations or dying due to serious blockages in leg arteries, a new study finds.

These blockages are called critical limb ischemia (CLI). They can cause severe leg pain, wounds that don't heal and poor quality of life, according to...

When 'Time Is Brain,' Mobile Stroke Units Speed Care

• Robert Preidt
• February 21, 2020
• Full Page

Ambulances outfitted as "mobile stroke treatment units" provide faster treatment and reduce patients' risk of severe disability and death, German researchers report.

The new study examined the use of three mobile stroke units in Berlin. Each unit is staffed with emer...

Wearable 'Brain Stimulator' May Boost Stroke Recovery

• Serena Gordon
• February 20, 2020
• Full Page

A noninvasive magnetic brain stimulation device worn less than an hour a day can increase activity near stroke-injured areas of the brain, a small, preliminary study suggests.

Those improvements in brain activity might then lead to increased motor function in people...

For Patients on Blood Thinners, GI Bleeding May Signal Colon Cancer: Study

• Robert Preidt
• February 7, 2020
• Full Page

Gastrointestinal bleeding in patients taking blood thinners for an irregular heartbeat should prompt doctors to check for colon cancer, a new study advises.

Researchers looked at more than 125,000 patients in Denmark with the heart rhythm disorder atrial fibrillation...

AHA News: What's Blood Type Got to Do With Clot Risk?

• January 23, 2020
• Full Page

People with blood types A and B may have higher risks for developing dangerous blood clots compared to people who have type O blood. That's according to new research that also showed a slightly higher risk for certain types of heart disease among the A and B groups.

Do You Take Warfarin? Time of Day Might Not Matter

• Steven Reinberg
• January 17, 2020
• Full Page

Patients taking the blood thinner warfarin have been told that it should be taken at night, but a new study found the time of day doesn't matter.

"Whether warfarin is taken in the morning, or the evening, its therapeutic effect is the same," said lead researcher Dr....

Cluster of Unhealthy Risk Factors Could Raise Odds of Recurrent Blood Clots

• Steven Reinberg
• January 9, 2020
• Full Page

People with what's known as the "metabolic syndrome" are vulnerable to recurring blood clots, new research shows.

Metabolic syndrome is a collection of conditions, including obesity, high blood sugar, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. These factors put peopl...

Clots in Space: Astronaut's Blocked Vein Brings Medical Insight

• E.J. Mundell
• January 2, 2020
• Full Page

"Space medicine" took another small step forward after an astronaut who developed a blood clot in a neck vein was diagnosed and treated while onboard the International Space Station (ISS), physicians at NASA and elsewhere report.

The research team didn't reveal the a...

Testosterone Supplements Double Men's Odds for Blood Clots: Study

• Dennis Thompson
• November 12, 2019
• Full Page

Testosterone therapy appears to double a man's risk of suffering a potentially life-threatening blood clot, a new study warns.

Men had twice the risk for a deep vein blood clot if they'd been receiving testosterone during the previous six months, researchers reported...

For Men, Living Alone May Mean Poorer Control of Blood-Thinning Meds

• Robert Preidt
• September 3, 2019
• Full Page

Men who are on the blood-thinning drug warfarin have more difficulty taking the medication if they live alone, but the same is not true for women, a new study finds.

Warfarin (brand-name Coumadin) is a common anti-clotting treatment to pre...

AHA News: Study Finds Racial Gap in Who Gets Critical Stroke Treatments

• August 1, 2019
• Full Page

Black and Hispanic people having a stroke are less likely than their white counterparts to get treatments proven to reduce death and improve quality of life, new research shows.

For strokes caused by a clot, the gold standard treatment is a clot-busting drug called ...

Former NFL Players Have Higher Odds for Dangerous A-Fib

• Amy Norton
• July 24, 2019
• Full Page

Former pro football players typically have healthier hearts than the average Joe -- except when it comes to a type of heart rhythm disturbance, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that former NFL players had a nearly six times higher rate of atrial fibrillation (...

Infections, Especially UTIs, May Be Triggers for Strokes

• Amy Norton
• June 27, 2019
• Full Page

A urinary tract infection might be more than just a painful nuisance for some, with new research suggesting it could raise the risk of stroke in vulnerable people.

The study of over 190,000 stroke patients found that the risk of suffering a stroke was heightened in t...

Just How Harmful Is TV for Your Health?

• Len Canter
• June 24, 2019
• Full Page

Cautions about TV viewing are as old as television itself, but how bad is it really?

A number of studies cite health risks due to the link between a sedentary lifestyle and the number of hours spent watching the tube.

Young adults who watch three or more h...

Study Refutes Notion That People on Warfarin Shouldn't Eat Leafy Greens

• Steven Reinberg
• June 11, 2019
• Full Page

Spinach-loving seniors, rejoice. A new study suggests that -- despite doctor warnings to the contrary -- you can eat leafy greens rich in vitamin K if you are taking the blood thinner warfarin.

In fact, "I think all warfarin-treated patients would benefit from incre...

Younger Gout Patients Have Higher Odds for Blood Clots

• Alan Mozes
• June 3, 2019
• Full Page

Older age raises the odds of many ills, but for adults with gout, it's the younger ones who have the highest risk for developing a serious blood clot, new research indicates.

Gout patients of any age have a 25% greater risk of developing a blood clot deep in the ...

Nerve Stimulation May Help Curb Stroke Damage

• Robert Preidt
• May 24, 2019
• Full Page

Could electrical stimulation of nerves that sit behind your nose help limit the harm done to your brain by a stroke?

New research suggests it's possible. In early experiments, blood flow to the brain was increased by widening undamaged arteries and bypassing the clot...

AHA News: Dangerous Blood Clots May Be the Latest Risk From 'Bad' Cholesterol

• May 14, 2019
• Full Page

LDL cholesterol - the so-called "bad" cholesterol - is known to narrow arteries, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes. It's also now suspected of contributing to venous thromboembolism, new research suggests.

The preliminary study, presented Tuesday at the Am...