FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 17, 2000
Contact: Mark D. Hendrickson
(732) 205-1449
NEW JERSEY NEUROSCIENCE INSTITUTE PHYSICIAN RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS GRANT TO STUDY HARDENING OF THE ARTERIES
Approximately 600,000 Americans will have a stroke this year - of those, 160,000 will die. With stroke being the No. 3 cause of death in the United States, it is imperative that research be conducted to better understand and treat the signs and symptoms of stroke. That is why the New Jersey Neuroscience Institute at JFK Medical Center in Edison continues to lead the way in researching causes of strokes and treatment options for stroke patients.
Just recently, Souvik Sen, M.D., M.S., a staff neurologist at the Neuroscience Institute, received a Research Development Award for nearly $500,000 from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This research grant, which will be distributed over five years, will enable Sen to study atherosclerosis in the aortic arch of stroke patients at JFK Medical Center and Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center in Plainfield.
Atherosclerosis is commonly known as the hardening of arteries. Over time, arterial walls slowly thicken, harden and narrow until blood flow is reduced. These abnormal arteries become vulnerable to injury; if they tear, a blood clot may form, completely blocking the already narrowed artery or dislodging and travelling to a smaller artery and shutting off oxygen to part of the brain. When the blood clot quickly dissolves and symptoms resolve, usually within one hour, it is referred to as a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) or "mini-stroke." When the clot does not dissolve and symptoms last for more than a day, it is known as a stroke.
"There is currently no treatment available for hardening of the aortic arch, one of the arterial branches that transports blood from the heart to the brain," notes Sen. "With this grant, and our subsequent research, we may be able to offer future patients treatment options which currently do not exist."
Beginning in June, research will be conducted over a five year period and eventually include 150 patients who have suffered a stroke or a "ministroke," no more than one month prior to acceptance into the program. The study will include a special echocardiograph (ultrasound of the heart) to measure aortic atherosclerosis one year after the stroke and patients will continue to be evaluated every six months for the duration of the five year study.
Although there are no current
treatments for atherosclerosis in the aortic arch, there are
preventive measures that can be taken to reduce the risk of stroke,
including maintaining normal blood pressure levels, adapting healthy
eating habits and exercising regularly.
Risk factors for stroke include high blood pressure, diabetes,
irregularity of the heart (atrial fibrillation), coronary heart
disease, smoking, obesity and sedentary lifestyles, alcohol and
caffeine abuse and stress. Age (older adults are more likely to have a
stroke than people under 65) and race (African American men and women
are two to three times more likely to die from a stroke) can also be
contributing factors of strokes.
The New Jersey Neuroscience Institute at JFK Medical Center is a
comprehensive facility designed exclusively for the diagnosis,
treatment and research of complex neurological disorders in adults and
children, including stroke. Services offered at the Institute include
programs in dizziness and balance disorders, epilepsy, spine and brain
tumors, cerebral palsy, stroke and movement disorders.
Candidates for the research study are actively being recruited. To find out if you are a viable candidate, or for more information regarding the study, call (732) 321-7000, extension 62561. For general information on the New Jersey Neuroscience Institute at JFK Medical Center, call (732) 321-7010.