SOURCE: FDA MedWatch

Plavix (clopidogrel):

Reduced effectiveness in patients who are poor metabolizers

Audience: Cardiology healthcare professionals, patients

FDA notified healthcare professionals and patients that a Boxed Warning has been added to the prescribing information for Plavix, an anti-blood clotting medication. The Boxed Warning in the drug label will include information to:

• Warn about reduced effectiveness in patients who are poor metabolizers of Plavix. Poor metabolizers do not effectively convert Plavix to its active form in the body.
• Inform healthcare professionals that tests are available to identify genetic differences in CYP2C19 function.
• Advise healthcare professionals to consider use of other anti-platelet medications or alternative dosing strategies for Plavix in patients identified as poor metabolizers.

Plavix is given to reduce the risk of heart attack, unstable angina, stroke, and cardiovascular death in patients with cardiovascular disease. Plavix works by decreasing the activity of blood cells called platelets, making platelets less likely to form blood clots. A data summary and additional information for healthcare professionals and patients are provided in the linked Drug Safety Communication.

Read the complete MedWatch 2010 Safety summary, including a link to the Drug Safety Communication at:

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm204256.htm

Did you know? MedWatch is a free service of the FDA and you can opt in to their email list to get updates like this one delivered to you-no charge.  Visit the link to their site above to sign up.

Source:  U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

Your corporation, individual brand, or perhaps a special message or product you wish to promote can now be advertised during the 2010 Boston Marathon. (Please note: We’ve made a slight modification from the video demonstration above to improve visibility for corporate advertisers.  The corporate ad placement will be on the back of the actual running singlet as shown in picture below vs. the front and back shoulders on the long sleeve shirt shown in video .)

Click for my stroke awareness progress report and corporate donation sponsor form for the Boston Marathon here:

2010 Tedy’s Team Corporate Sponsor (Boston Marathon)

Corporate Sponsors can Receive Ad Placement at the Stoke Winner and Champion Giving Levels

Your tax deductible corporate donation can help me continue to reach my stroke awareness goals and help my sister cross the finish line in Boston 2010!

Click to DONATE NOW online!

Print and mail in your donation

If you missed my last video post on why I still need your help to spread stroke awareness please click here to play that video message.

Thank You!

David Dansereau for know-stroke.org

Know-Stroke.org

Should all young athletes in the US have their hearts screened?

They do in Italy. Why not here?

by David Dansereau for know-stroke.org

My guess is you’ll hear more about this debate on the nightly news this evening and in the days to come. That is because two studies published yesterday are reigniting an emotionally charged debate about whether young athletes should be screened with an $88 heart test to possibly reduce the small risk of sudden death from an undiagnosed heart problem. This debate also follows the recent death of two young athletes who died from sudden cardiac death. (They were Chicago Bears defensive end Gaines Adams, 26, and Southern Indiana basketball center Jeron Lewis, 21, both presumably from sudden cardiac death).

[Personal Sidebar: Screen all our KIDS involved in sports! While this debate continues, educate our coaches, parents and teachers how to respond FAST in the event of an emergency (stroke or cardiac arrest) from a heart defect. If I had been screened as a kid, I may not have had my 1^st (or 2^nd) stroke!! ]

Here’s all the headlines from today and links to the full stories:

Study: EKGs for young athletes cost-effective

San Fransisco Chronicle

Ask Dr. H: Young athletes and sudden cardiac death

Philadelphia Daily News

Studies spur debate on heart tests for athletes

The Columbus Dispatch

$88 scan detects deadly heart defect in athletes

The Salt Lake Tribune

Screening athletes could prevent sudden deaths

MSNBC

Heart test debate heats up

The Boston Globe

Screening May Save Athletes

The New York Times

Ask Dr. H: Young athletes and sudden cardiac death

Philadelphia Daily News

You are not running, why should I donate?

If you have considered that it would still be the right thing to do but then clicked away, I’m here on video to remind you of why your donation to the American Stroke Association is important.  If you have donated to my fundraising and stroke awareness efforts in past, I sincerely thank you again.  I look forward to your continued support.  I appreciate every penny that comes in, especially in a difficult economy. You can help make a difference.  Every donation counts.  I hope you have been helped by my blog at know-stroke.org, and now is the time for you to step up.  It has been my intent from the start that through putting my story out there I might further educate others about their own condition.  In doing so I have been blessed to get to know many of you personally over the phone and many have expressed thanks and stated they will become more informed  in their local community to spread awareness.   That is terrific!  If you play my video you’ll see why (more than ever this year) I’ll need your help.  That’s right, if you’ve already played the video, you know a knee injury has forced me out of the Boston Marathon this year.  Even so, I can  run the marathon in spirit with my sister and continue to move forward with my national stroke awareness campaign.

Please play the video and read my attached campaign summary and stroke awareness update I have prepared here>  knowstrokedotorgprogressreport . I’ve also included a print version of my fundraising request form if you would prefer to mail in a donation here> 2010BostonMarathonPrintDonationForm.

You can also donate right now through our secure online donation link.  Donations to the American Stroke association are tax deductible.  You’ll see when you click the link, my wife and I have started off the donations  by showing our support for my sister Lori through a $150 dollar donation (or $50 each) to honor each of our three children.

Please help me continue to reach my stroke awareness goals and help my sister cross the finish line in Boston 2010

Click Here> DONATE NOW!

Corporate Donors can Cross the Boston Marathon finish line too!

In my next post later in the week I’ll update you on how  top corporate or individual donors can get their logo or brand visible and cross the finish line with my sister.  So, stay tuned and THANK YOU!

Best Regards,

David Dansereau

Know-Stroke.org

David P Dansereau for know-stroke.org

I know I have my own opinions and if you’ve read my stroke story you know how I feel about this topic.  Anyway, I found a great presentation recently on  the “Evidence base for PFO closure” by Dr.  Ted Feldman  PDec8Feldman1510 but have been a bit slow at posting lately.

Here’s the link to the presentation which reviews the use of coumadin, aspirin therapy or PFO closure for stroke prevention

Consider these brief facts:

(from the full story if you don’t have time to read more about Jared right now:)

“The rate of pediatric strokes has been growing in recent years, partly as a result of increased awareness and better reporting. Experts at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia estimate that the rate in children under 18 is as high as 12 per 100,000, or about 9,000 incidents a year. And in newborns, they put it at 25 per 100,000 — a rate approaching that of elderly adults.”

“Time is brain,” doctors like to say, when it comes to treating stroke victims. Yet in pediatric stroke cases, studies show the average diagnosis does not take place until more than 24 hours after the onset of symptoms.”

__________________________________________________

Too often, experts say, a stroke in a child will be missed. It is in part why Jared agreed to let his father share this story.

Read my Goal Setting Article in Stroke Smart Magazine

How to Subscribe to StrokeSmart™ Magazine:

For qualified free subscriptions  to StrokeSmart™  please call 1-800 STROKES (800-787-6537) or

Click here for your free subscription

A new study published in the January issue of the journal Health Promotion Practice may indicate that stroke-related disability could be reduced by teaching children how to spot the signs of stroke in relatives and to call 911 immediately.

Emergency medical treatment within three hours of the first stroke symptoms can limit the extent of brain damage and lead to better recovery.

About the study:

The Kids Identifying and Defeating Stroke (KIDS) project included 515 sixth graders in Texas who were divided into two groups. The students in the intervention group were given four classes about stroke awareness each year during grades 6, 7 and 8.

“As part of the KIDS project, students were also given homework assignments that involved teaching their parents or other adult partners about the signs and symptoms of stroke and the need to call 911 right away if these signs are witnessed,” lead author Kathleen Conley, a professor of health education at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, said in a recent news release.

Assessing Stroke Knowledge:

A pretest about stroke knowledge/awareness was given before the study. Preliminary results from a follow-up test after the second year showed improvements in the intervention group students’ knowledge and their intent to call 911 when seeing someone suffering a stroke.

“We are very encouraged by the results and would like to see more investigation in the area of teaching children about recognizing stroke and motivating them to call 911 immediately,” Conley said.

[Personal Sidebar]

This study gives further evidence for the need for my national stroke awareness goal to produce and make available a stroke PSA video targeted to coaches/parents, educators involved with student athletes.

Here’s a summary of my stroke awareness goal :

The AHA/ASA* and/or NSA** should have a sports related coaches/parents training video (available nationwide) to target adults in contact with young student athletes to improve recognition of ALL the stroke warning signs. This video could easily be linked to every sports program in the state/nation as part of that programs sports website/coaches sign up/parent registration section.

Anyone with talent, time and the desire….Please help me do this.

If you can help please contact me now (401)632-0868

*American Heart Association/American Stroke Association

** National Stroke Association

Please help me cross the finish line in Boston 2010

That’s me crossing the finish line in Boston 2009

Why put my body through another marathon?  Trust me, I’ve already gone through my list of excuses again why NOT to run.  But, even though I crossed the finish line last year and completed every step of those famous, grueling 26.2 miles in Boston, I have not reached my goal of national stroke awareness for improved screening,detection and treatment plans for PFO/Stroke/ and uncovering the possible migraine connection.  In the next few posts I’ll be updating you on the progress made towards my national stroke awareness goals in case you are reading my blog for the first time or want to get caught up or get involved to help-so stay tuned (but don’t wait to donate).

Please help me reach my stroke awareness goals and cross the finish line in Boston 2010

PLEASE DONATE NOW!

Thank you!

Stroke Prevention Guidelines:

posted by David Dansereau for know-stroke.org

It doesn’t have to be May (Stroke Awareness Month) to review this list of important (and potentially life saving) guidelines:

2. Find out if you have atrial fibrillation – a type or irregular heartbeat. If left untreated, AF can increase stroke risk four to six times.

3. If you smoke, stop. Smoking doubles stroke risk.

4. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. Recent studies have suggested that modest alcohol consumption (up to two glasses of wine or alcohol equivalent) may reduce stroke risk.

5. Find out if you have high cholesterol. High cholesterol can indirectly increase stroke risk by putting people at greater risk of heart disease.

6. If you’re diabetic, follow your doctor’s recommendation carefully to control your diabetes. People with diabetes have a higher stroke risk. This may be due to circulation problems that diabetes can cause.

7. Include exercise in the activities you enjoy in your daily routine. Active people tend to have lower cholesterol levels. Regular exercise also seems to slow down or stop the clogging of blood vessels by deposits.

8. Enjoy a lower sodium (salt), lower fat diet. Too much salt may contribute to high blood pressure and make it more difficult to control. A diet that’s low in fat will likely include vegetables, lean meats such as chicken and fish, low-fat dairy products and a limited number of eggs.

9. Ask your doctor if you have circulation problems which increase your risk for stroke.

10. If you experience any stroke symptoms, seek immediate medical attention. CALL 911! Every minute counts!

Source:National Stroke Association’s Prevention Advisory Board Stroke Prevention Guidelines.