Calcium in Arteries May Best Predict Risk of Heart Attack, Stroke

THURSDAY, Aug. 31, 2017 -- People with no calcium buildup in their arteries seem to have a significantly lower risk of heart attack and stroke, a new study finds.

Calcium collects in the arteries after plaque builds up and hardens over time, the study authors explained.

Uptick in U.S. Stroke Deaths Sets Off Alarms: CDC

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 6, 2017 -- Progress in preventing stroke deaths in the United States has stalled after 40 years of decline, and may even be reversing, government health officials say.

Stroke deaths increased significantly among Hispanics and in the South between 2013 and 2015, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Wednesday.

Awake for Aneurysm Brain Surgery, Better Results?

THURSDAY, Aug. 24, 2017 -- "Awake" brain surgery may improve treatment of brain aneurysms, researchers say.

A brain aneurysm is a weak area in a blood vessel that supplies blood to the brain. It's commonly treated with a surgical technique known as "clipping" while the patient is under general anesthesia.

Stroke Rates Drop for U.S. Men, But Not Women

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 9, 2017 -- The overall rate of strokes is declining in the United States, but appears to be going down mostly in men, a new study finds.

"Our findings suggest that the decreases in rates of stroke over time are primarily driven by decreased stroke rates in men," said lead researcher Dr. Tracy Madsen.

One Stroke Raises Risk for Another, Even Years Later: Study

MONDAY, July 24, 2017 -- Your risk of a second stroke or ministroke remains considerable for at least five years after the first one, a new Canadian study finds.

"We showed that, even in those survivors who had no complications at all after their stroke, their risk did not return to normal," said researcher Jodi Edwards.

Moving From 'Stroke Belt' Doesn't Undo Higher Dementia Risk

MONDAY, July 31, 2017 -- Health problems for people born in the so-called Stroke Belt of the United States also include a higher risk of developing dementia -- even if they move elsewhere, a new study suggests.

Researchers who calculated data on thousands of adults living in northern California found dementia risk was roughly 26 percent higher for those born in nine states, nearly all in the Southeast.