Dear Readers,

Welcome to NeuroAiD's May 2009 Newsletter. The idea of this monthly release is to share vital information for stroke patients and their families, and help them deal successfully with the common challenges life presents after a stroke.

This month, we firstly highlight deep venous thrombosis complication after a stroke, a disease seems easy to be treated but can sometime lead to a life-threatening situation. Further, we would like to introduce you how Tai Chi Chuan, the ancient Chinese martial art, can provide a natural treatment for stroke damage. At last, a nutrient suggestion gives you a glance on the benefits of the Omega-3 fatty on stopping repeated stroke and dementia.

We want this to be more than a one-way communication, and would be most happy to hear back from you. What you have experienced and learned will be very valuable to others and we will make sure it reaches as many people in our community as possible. Do also let us know what topics you wish to read in future issues of your NeuroAiD's newsletter.

We would like to assist you in your return to daily life while recovering from stroke. As you are probably already aware, making the best use of time is of vital importance in your stroke recovery. Therefore, please allow us to call you at a number, day and time of your convenience, to hear your questions and explain our answers. If you agree, kindly email us the table below at info@neuroaid.com :

• Number :
• Date :
• Location / time zone :
• Person to ask for :

If you choose to contact us yourself instead, call us on our US toll free number: 1-800-882-4046 / +65-6478-9430 or email us at info@neuroaid.com

The NeuroAiD™ Team at Moleac

There are three kinds of veins in our body: Superficial veins: those that lie close to the skin; Deep veins: those that lie in groups of muscles; and Perforating veins: those that connect them. Deep vein thrombosis is a blood clot in one of the deep veins. Usually it occurs in the pelvis, thigh or calf, but it can also occur less commonly in arms, chest, or other locations. Although a stroke is usually not caused by deep vein thrombosis, if someone has had a stroke, he or she may be at a greater risk for developing DVT.

Quite often, there are no symptoms at all. There may be pain or tenderness in the leg, or raised skin temperature around the compromised area. The first sign may be a sudden swelling in one leg. Occasionally, some of the surface veins become more visible through the skin. DVT is most commonly detected nowadays by the use of ultrasound, which has been proven effective even on the smallest of clots. This allows the physician to measure the speed of blood flow and to see the structure of the veins, and sometimes even the clots themselves. Another method using x ray allows the physician to see the anatomy of the veins and sometimes the clots within them.

How dangerous is it? DVT itself is not life threatening, but the clots are sometimes associated with complications which can be fatal. The most common serious complication is a pulmonary embolism if the clots break off and reach the lung, which causes severe breathing difficulties. If untreated, up to one in ten people who suffer a pulmonary embolism will die as a result.
There is even risk of a second stroke. In some rare cases, a part of the clot may also stay in other organs including the brain, where it will lead to a stroke.

But let us not worry too much. Physicians can usually treat DVT with medications or minimal gentle procedures. Rarely, surgery many be required. Physicians may prescribe an anticoagulant drug called heparin, which helps to prevent the blood from clotting easily and keeps clots the patient already has from growing larger. After 5-7 days of injection of heparin, usually patients will be given an anticoagulant pill called Warfarin, for 6 months. During the time patients are receiving medication, blood tests will be performed in order to make sure that the anticoagulation level is suitable to prevent further clots, but not too high as to cause excessive bleeding.

If the physician wants to dissolve the clot, a thrombolysis is recommended, which means a direct injection of clot-dissolving medicine into the clot. Since thrombolysis presents a high risk of stroke, it will only be performed in life-threaten situations.

Can DVT be prevented? Taking drugs as aspirin is one way to cut the risk of developing a clot. Moreover, a number of physical methods might reduce the formation of DVT after stroke: graded compression stockings, pneumatic compression devices and electrical stimulation of leg muscles. In any case, keeping mobile is vital. Please consult your physical therapist in order to develop the most adequate movements to prevent DVT.

 

Sources:

BCC News

VascularWeb

Having a stroke can damage the parts of the brain that help keep balance, leaving some people having a hard time learning to walk again. Problems with balance can mean people are more likely to fall and injure themselves – this being more than just an annoyance and uncomfortable feeling that interferes with their quality of life. It also raises the risk of debilitation and the possibility of fatal falls.

Tai Chi Chuan may help you with these problems. Tai chi Chuan is an inner and highly spiritual ancient Chinese martial art, practiced for integrating body, mind and spirit. According to the philosophy behind the practice, the slow, fluid postures and sequential movements of tai chi focus our concentration while gently working muscles; therefore promoting mind and body calmness and health.

Not surprisingly, modern-day scientists are backing up these ancient claims. Earlier research performed in 2006 by the University of Michigan has previously shown that Tai Chi can improve balance and reduce falls among healthy elders. More recently, researchers at the University of Illinois in Chicago (UIC) have endorsed Tai Chi is a drug-free way to treat these stroke-caused balance problems.

It was in Hong Kong where the study was held, that Mrs. Hui-Chan, professor and head of physical therapy of UIC, and her colleagues decided to try proving that Tai Chi would help stroke survivors. 136 persons who had suffered a stroke more than six months earlier participated in the study. They were put into 2 groups: One practiced breathing, stretching and other exercises that included sitting and walking; the other one, which was the Tai Chi group, practiced a simplified form of this ancient martial art consisting of coordinated movements of the head, trunk and limbs that required concentration and attention to balance. At the end of the 12 weeks study, all the participants were given several balance tests. Both groups performed about the same on a test which involved the ability to stand, walk and sit back down. However, when it came to testing the ability of maintaining balance, like shifting weight, leaning in different directions and standing on moving surfaces… the Tai Chi practicing group clearly showed a significant better performance than the control group did.  This study also showed that, in addition to improving balance, Tai Chi improves strength and cardiovascular fitness too.

These results of the research have been published in the January issues of Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair magazines.

Generally speaking, Tai Chi is a quite beneficial exercise activity for stroke survivors, which is considered low-cost because no equipment and few facilities are needed. What's more, Tai Chi classes can give seniors opportunities for healthy group interactions that help prevent social isolation, too. We invite you to find out whether there are any Tai Chi classes in your area, and you can also speak to an instructor to ask whether the type of Tai Chi they teach is suitable for people who've had a stroke in order to practice movements that will be the most suitable for you.

No doubt, Tai Chi is getting more and more interest from health authorities. The NIH's National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is currently sponsoring studies to find out more about Tai Chi's benefits, how it works, and diseases and conditions for which it may be most helpful.

Sources:

ScienceDaily.com

Stroke Rehabilitation Journal

Moleac named Singapore Entrepreneurial Company of the year at the Frost & Sullivan Asia-Pacific Healthcare Excellence Award

"Moleac has identified a need gap in the stroke recovery process and has adopted an innovative approach to address this void. NeuroAid, the company's flagship product is derived from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and helps patients recover functional skills in the post stroke rehabilitation process - addressing a gap that has not been filled by western medicine.

The approach of taking from TCM to fill a gap in western treatment options is not only innovative but is also highly efficient in terms of product commercialization. As the efficacy of TCM is proven, the company has been able to develop the NeuroAid with relatively low investments and commercialize it in a relatively short period span of les than 5 years.

In the short period since its launch, NeuroAid has become a product with global reach. It has witnessed considerable geographic expansion outside its home country, Singapore and is available not only in multiple countries in the Asia Pacific region, but also in the Middle East, Europe and US. The success of the product is evident in the dramatic revenue growth between 2006 and 2008 and the aggressive multi-million dollar targets that the company has set for itself in 2009."

Sohini Mitra - Frost & Sullivan

Read More...

The Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are considered essential among fatty acids. They are essential to human health but cannot be produced by the body. For this reason, omega-3 fatty acids must be obtained from food. They can be found in fish, such as salmon and tuna, or other marine life such as algae, certain plants and nut oil.

There are three major types of omega 3 fatty acids that are ingested in foods and used by the body: ALA, EPA and DHA. Once eaten, the body converts ALA to EPA and DHA which are two types of omega-3 fatty acids readily used by the body. Extensive research has indicated that omega-3 fatty reduces inflammation, as well as production of platelets, a blood component that promotes the formation of blood clots; helping prevent risk factors associated with heart and cerebral diseases, especially the stroke.

Last summer, in a study of people with high cholesterol who were taking a low dose of cholesterol lowering Statin, researchers found that adding EPA did not reduce the incidence of a first stroke but did lower recurrence rates in those with a history of stroke. In this study’s findings that were published in the Stroke Journal, patients were either assigned a low daily dose of Statin alone or an 1800mg daily dose of EPA for roughly 5 years. Out of nearly 10,000 patients in each group, about 500 patients had a history of stroke.

The researchers found that there were far fewer second strokes in the EPA group. The recurrent stroke rates were 6.8 percent in the EPA group versus 10.5 percent in the non-EPA group, which did make a significant difference.

These essential fatty acids are highly concentrated in the brain and they appear to be particularly important for cognitive (brain memory and performance) and behavioural functions. Another study performed by French scientists reported that a low level of EPA was predictive of ensuing dementia.

It is recommended by the American Heart Association, that even healthy people should regularly eat fish (particularly fatty ones) ideally twice a week. Fish is also a good nutritional suggestion, especially for stroke survivors. If you have any doubt, please consult your nutritionist or experienced caregiver.

Sources:

Reuter

PubMed