American Stroke Association says Implanted Cardiac Monitor identifies Stroke risk better than traditional methods
March 7, 2014
San Diego, CA – A cardiac monitor about the size of a USB flash drive that’s implanted under the skin was six to seven times more likely to detect atrial fibrillation, an abnormal heart rhythm that’s a risk factor for stroke, according to a science report presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2014.
The monitor could help identify the 30 percent of ischemic strokes with no apparent cause. Ischemic strokes are caused by a clot in a blood vessel in or near the brain. [Read more]
Key Drug Warnings Falling Through the Cracks
July 17, 2011
No Federal Monitoring of Drug Labels; What Consumers Can Do to Stay Safe
Yonkers, NY – It’s comparable to driving a car without a seatbelt—a new investigation from Consumer Reports Health finds that drug labels sometimes lack key safety warnings and some pharmacies fail to include the medication guides required by the federal government.
For its investigative “spot check,” Consumer Reports Health sent staffers to five individual drugstores in Yonkers, NY: Costco, CVS, Target, Walgreens, and Walmart, to fill prescriptions for warfarin. Warfarin (Coumadin and generics) is a blood thinner used to prevent strokes and one of the 20 most commonly prescribed drugs in the U.S., according to IMS Health. [Read more]
