Stroke survivors often return to driving without being evaluated for ability

Abstract T P307 (Room Hall G)

2014-02-14

(Press-News.org) Stroke survivors often resume driving without being formally evaluated for ability — though stroke can cause deficits that can impair driving, according to research presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2014. Researchers surveyed 162 stroke survivors a year after their strokes and found: More than 51 percent returned to driving — many a month after suffering a stroke. Only 5.6 percent received a formal driving evaluation. Eleven percent of those who returned to driving reported their strokes had greatly impacted their abilities to perform important life activities. Among those who returned to driving and reported no effect on their abilities to perform important life activities, more than 45 percent limited their driving. Researchers suggest stroke survivors may benefit from formal evaluation before resuming driving. INFORMATION: Note: Actual presentation is 6:15 p.m. PT Thursday, Feb. 13, 2014.

Follow news from the International Stroke Conference 2014 via Twitter: @HeartNews #ISC14.

Statements and conclusions of study authors that are presented at American Stroke Association scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect association policy or position. The association makes no representation or warranty as to their accuracy or reliability. The association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific association programs and events. The association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and device corporations are available at http://www.heart.org/corporatefunding.

B-roll, animation or images related to these tips are on the right column of this link http://newsroom.heart.org/news/thursday-news-tips-2590807?preview=490dfb5c4a43f77e6dae3a3f0029eed2.

NOTE ALL TIMES ARE PACIFIC (PT). ALL TIPS ARE EMBARGOED UNTIL THE TIME OF PRESENTATION OR 3 P.M. PT/6 P.M. ET EACH DAY, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. For more information Feb. 12-14, call the ASA News Media Staff Office at the San Diego Convention Center at (619) 525-6204. Before or after these dates, call the Communications Office in Dallas at (214) 706-1173. For public inquiries, call (800) AHA-USA1 (242-8721).

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

What makes the newborn immune system in the lungs different and vulnerable?

2014-02-14

Newborns are more susceptible to infections, presumably because of their immature and inexperienced immune systems. The most common dangerous condition in newborns and infants are lower respiratory tract infections caused by viruses, especially respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). A study published on February 13th in PLOS Pathogens shows how the immune system in the lungs during early life differs from the one in older children and adults. Ideally, newborns could be protected against RSV by vaccination, but it is known that the immune system in early life is less responsive ...

Intensive dialysis in pregnant women with kidney failure benefits mother and baby

2014-02-14

Washington, DC (February 13, 2014) — Intensive dialysis treatments in pregnant women with kidney failure lead to a higher proportion of live births than standard dialysis care, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). The findings suggest that more frequent and longer dialysis sessions should be considered for dialysis patients of childbearing age who want to become pregnant or who are already pregnant. When young women develop advanced kidney disease, pregnancy becomes dangerous and often impossible ...

Wealthy neighborhoods fuel materialistic desires, study says

2014-02-14

SAN FRANCISCO -- Where you live could affect whether or not you spend compulsively, according to new research from San Francisco State University published today in the Journal of Consumer Culture. Individuals who live in wealthy neighborhoods are more likely to have materialistic values and poor spending habits, the study says, particularly if they are young, living in urban areas and relatively poor compared with their surroundings. The study is the first to show a connection between neighborhood socioeconomic status and materialism. The reason for the link, said ...

Science: Cortical convolutions controlled in sections

2014-02-14

Researchers have tied a particular gene to the development of cortical convolutions—the prominent but enigmatic folds covering the surface of the human brain. Their discovery should shed some light on these characteristic contours, which have been the subject of wild speculation for ages, and perhaps also provide a better understanding of how such brain ridges form, how they evolved from our pre-human ancestors and, ultimately, how they influence brain function. The exact role of cortical convolutions remains unknown, but theories have abounded. (Some, for example, have ...

Builder bots ditch blueprints for local cues

2014-02-14

This news release is available in Spanish, French, Arabic, Japanese and Chinese. "Termites are what inspired this whole research topic for us," said the study's lead author Justin Werfel, a researcher at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering in Cambridge, Massachusetts. "We learned the incredible things these tiny insects can build and said: Fantastic. Now how do we create and program robots that work in similar ways but build what humans want?" Unlike humans, who require a high-level blueprint to build something complicated, termites can build ...

Stanford, NOAA scientists discover mechanism of crude oil heart toxicity

2014-02-14

Scientists from Stanford University and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have discovered that crude oil interferes with fish heart cells. The toxic consequence is a slowed heart rate, reduced cardiac contractility and irregular heartbeats that can lead to cardiac arrest and sudden cardiac death. The research, published in the Feb. 14 issue of Science, is part of the ongoing Natural Resource Damage Assessment of the April 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. While crude oil is known to be cardiotoxic to developing fish, the physiological mechanisms ...

America's natural gas system is leaky and in need of a fix, new study finds

2014-02-14

The first thorough comparison of evidence for natural gas system leaks confirms that organizations including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have underestimated U.S. methane emissions generally, as well as those from the natural gas industry specifically. Natural gas consists predominantly of methane. Even small leaks from the natural gas system are important because methane is a potent greenhouse gas – about 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide. A study, "Methane Leakage from North American Natural Gas Systems," published in the Feb. 14 issue of the journal ...

Interactive map of human genetic history revealed

2014-02-14

The interactive map, produced by researchers from Oxford University and UCL (University College London), details the histories of genetic mixing between each of the 95 populations across Europe, Africa, Asia and South America spanning the last four millennia. The study, published this week in Science, simultaneously identifies, dates and characterises genetic mixing between populations. To do this, the researchers developed sophisticated statistical methods to analyse the DNA of 1490 individuals in 95 populations around the world. The work was chiefly funded by the Wellcome ...

Graphene's love affair with water

2014-02-14

Graphene has proven itself as a wonder material with a vast range of unique properties. Among the least-known marvels of graphene is its strange love affair with water. Graphene is hydrophobic – it repels water – but narrow capillaries made from graphene vigorously suck in water allowing its rapid permeation, if the water layer is only one atom thick – that is, as thin as graphene itself. This bizarre property has attracted intense academic and industrial interest with intent to develop new water filtration and desalination technologies. One-atom-wide graphene capillaries ...

Stopping smoking linked to improved mental health

2014-02-14

The researchers say the effect sizes are equal or larger than those of antidepressant treatment for mood and anxiety disorders. It is well known that stopping smoking substantially reduces major health risks, such as the development of cancers, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. But the association between smoking and mental health is less clear cut. Many smokers want to stop but continue smoking as they believe smoking has mental health benefits. And health professionals are sometimes reluctant to deal with smoking in people with mental disorders in case ...

Large-scale TMIST breast cancer screening trial achieves enrollment goal, paving the way for data that provides a precision approach to screeninge

Study published in NEJM Catalyst finds patients cared for by MedStar Health’s Safe Babies Safe Moms program have better outcomes in pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum

New West Health-Gallup survey finds incoming Trump administration faces high public skepticism over plans to lower healthcare costs

THE LANCET DIABETES & ENDOCRINOLOGY: Global Commission proposes major overhaul of obesity diagnosis, going beyond BMI to define when obesity is a disease.

Stroke survivors often return to driving without being evaluated for ability

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: