
via Stroke Connection Magazine – American Stroke Association
Treatments that prevent recurrence of types of stroke and dementia caused by damage to small blood vessels in the brain have moved a step closer, following a small study.
The drugs – called cilostazol and isosorbide mononitrate – are already used to treat other conditions, such as heart disease and angina.
This is the first time they have been tested in the UK for the treatment of stroke or vascular dementia.
High tolerance
A study involving more than 50 stroke patients found that patients tolerated the drugs, with no serious side effects, even when the drugs were given in full dose or in combination with other medicines.
Experts say the findings pave the way for larger studies to check if the treatments can prevent brain damage and reduce risk of stroke and vascular dementia.
Damage to small blood vessels in the brain is responsible for around a quarter of strokes. It is also a common cause of memory problems and dementia.
Around 400,000 people in the UK are affected but there are no specific treatments. Currently the only way to reduce risk of the disease is by controlling blood pressure and cholesterol, stopping smoking and managing symptoms of diabetes.
Promising early signs
A team led by the Universities of Edinburgh and Nottingham recruited 57 patients who had experienced a stroke caused by damaged small blood vessels, known as a lacunar stroke.
Patients took the two medicines either individually or in combination for up to nine weeks, in addition to usual treatments aimed at preventing further strokes.
They completed health questionnaires and had regular blood pressure checks, blood tests and brain scans.
The findings suggest the drugs are safe for use in stroke patients, taken alone or in combination, at least in the short term.
There were also signs that the treatments helped improve blood vessel function in the arms and brain, and may improve thinking skills, but the researchers stress that further studies are needed to test this. A larger study, called LACI-2, is already underway.
Effective treatment
The study, published in EClinicalMedicine, was funded primarily by the Alzheimer’s Society, with support from the UK Stroke Association, British Heart Foundation, the European Union, National Institutes of Health Research, and NHS Research Scotland.
We are delighted that the results of this trial show promise for treating a common cause of stroke and the commonest cause of vascular dementia, since currently there are no effective treatments. Further trials are underway.
Professor Joanna Wardlaw Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences
There hasn’t been a new drug for dementia for 15 years, so finding evidence that these cheap existing drugs could prevent dementia after a stroke would be a huge breakthrough. It’s promising to see that these two drugs are safe to use and we’ll be excited to see the results of the next stage of testing in a couple of years, which will show whether these drugs can be an effective treatment.
Dr James PickettHead of Research at Alzheimer’s Society
Learn more: Drugs to prevent stroke and dementia show promise
The Latest on: Stroke and vascular dementia
via Google News
The Latest on: Stroke and vascular dementia
- Keeping your brain sharp isn't about working more puzzleson January 21, 2021 at 1:33 pm
Mental decline is one of the most feared aspects of growing older. People will do just about anything to prevent it, from swallowing supplements touted as memory boosters to spending hours solving ...
- AHA News: Keeping Your Brain Sharp Isn't About Working More Puzzleson January 21, 2021 at 12:09 pm
But do these things really keep the aging brain sharp? The short answer is, not really. "It can certainly help you concentrate if you spend an hour or two doing puzzles," said Dr. Vladimir Hachinski, ...
- Researchers Identify Genetic Risk Factor for Stroke in Older Adultson January 21, 2021 at 6:32 am
NOTCH3 variants are a common genetic risk factor for stroke in patients older than age 65, a finding that could help improve outcomes for the condition.
- A common genetic variant identified as risk factor for strokeon January 19, 2021 at 10:15 am
A team of Geisinger researchers has identified a common genetic variant as a risk factor for stroke, especially in patients older than 65.
- Research identifies genetic risk factor for strokeon January 19, 2021 at 9:47 am
A team of Geisinger researchers has identified a common genetic variant as a risk factor for stroke, especially in patients older than 65.
- Geisinger research identifies genetic risk factor for strokeon January 19, 2021 at 8:18 am
A team of Geisinger researchers has identified a common genetic variant as a risk factor for stroke, especially in patients older than 65.
- Helping Diabetes Patients Reduce Their Risk Of Dementiaon January 19, 2021 at 12:00 am
The findings of a new study on diabetes and dementia were presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes. The results of the study may be able to help reduce the ...
- Dementia symptoms: Frequent toilet trips could be a sign of brain declineon January 12, 2021 at 6:12 am
DEMENTIA is a general term for symptoms associated with progressive brain decline. Many symptoms are unique to the type of dementia one has. A telltale sign of vascular dementia is early loss of ...
- Vascular Dementiaon December 25, 2020 at 4:00 pm
[2] Macrovascular complications of diabetes include heart disease and stroke; there also is an association between diabetes and dementia. An extension of the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk ...
- High blood pressure and dementiaon August 15, 2020 at 12:21 am
Both type of strokes cause brain cell death that can lead to the development of stroke-related or post-stroke vascular dementia. Narrowing of the blood vessels especially deep inside the brain does ...
via Bing News