Watch the above video:A woman living in the Durham region is looking for increased support for people living with epilepsy. Mark McAllister reports TORONTO Living with epilepsy is difficult enough, but the situation is made worse when the support you need is not there. For Lynsay Gormley, 37, living with epilepsy has been a daily struggle, where anything can cause a seizure. Heat was a big trigger, or lights like in movie theatres, said Gormley. Anything natural that people do. I would have a seizure anytime, anywhere and it could be bigger or smaller. Gormley who hails from the Durham region has found very little support for people like herself who want to talk about living with epilepsy. I was really thinking that they must have support groups Im not aware of, but they didnt, she said. Its very frustrating and I know its frustrating for my friend too who lives in Ajax (who has epilepsy). Local organizations like Epilepsy Durham say a lack of resources and government funding prevents them from reaching out to people with epilepsy. I think that there could be funding through a government agency to trickle down to local agencies, said Dianne McKenzie with Epilepsy … Continue reading →

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- As Alabama lawmakers consider legalization of a marijuana-derived medication to treat seizures and other health issues, the national Epilepsy Foundation released a statement today in support of patients having access to medicinal marijuana as a treatment option. "The Epilepsy Foundation supports the rights of patients and families living with seizures and epilepsy to access physician directed care, including medical marijuana. Nothing should stand in the way of patients gaining access to potentially life-saving treatment," according to the statement from Epilepsy Foundation President and CEO Philip M. Gattone and Epilepsy Foundation Board of Directors Chairman Warren Lammert. "If a patient and their healthcare professionals feel that the potential benefits of medical marijuana for uncontrolled epilepsy outweigh the risks, then families need to have that legal option now -- not in five years or ten years. For people living with severe uncontrolled epilepsy, time is not on their side," according to their statement. The group's statement includes commentary from Dr. Orrin Devinsky, professor of neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatry and director of New York University's Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, in support of the foundation's position. "Until we have the scientific data, we should make medical marijuana available to physicians who care … Continue reading →

Lynchburg, VA - Centra Mental Health Services is opening a new autism diagnostic center at the Bridges Treatment Center on Leesville Road. Diagnostic appointments may be made for children aged three and up. At a typical appointment, a child would undergo diagnostic testing using the ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule) to determine if he or she is on the autism spectrum. The test, which is more like a play session, is facilitated by an LPC. The ADOS-2 accurately assesses and diagnoses autism spectrum disorders across age, developmental level, and language skills. After reviewing the test results, a doctor will conduct an evaluation of the child and meet with his team to determine the best course of action. The doctor will then meet with the family to discuss recommendations for treatment as well as provide resources to assist the child and the family. For more information about any of Centra's mental health programs, call the Centra Mental Health Intake & Resource Center at 434-200-4444 Visit link: Centra Mental Health Services To Open New Autism Diagnostic Center … Continue reading →

SAN DIEGO A national quality improvement initiative focusing on quicker stroke treatment was associated with better stroke treatment and outcomes, according to a late-breaking science report presented at the American Stroke Associations International Stroke Conference 2014. The study examined data from hospitals that have adopted the American Heart Association/ American Stroke Associations national quality initiative, Target: Stroke, which aims to increase the number of stroke patients treated with clot-busting drugs for ischemic stroke within 60 minutes or less after hospital arrival. The only treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for stroke is tPA, or tissue plasminogen activator, a drug injected intravenously to dissolve blood clots. As the benefit of tPA is highly time dependent, national guidelines recommend tPA treatment within 60 minutes or less of hospital arrival. Initiated nationwide in 2010, Target: Stroke provided 10 key strategies as well as tools to facilitate timely tPA administration, as well as additional approaches to improve stroke care and outcome. This study found that the percentage of patients treated within the recommended timeframe increased from less than one-third before Target: Stroke to more than half afterwards. The Target: Stroke program goal of 50 percent or more of patients having door-to-needle … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 20-Feb-2014 Contact: Rachel Seroka rseroka@aan.com 612-928-6129 American Academy of Neurology PHILADELPHIA Two new smart phone applications may help people detect epileptic seizures and get better stroke treatment, according to two studies released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 66th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, April 26 to May 3, 2014. In the first study, an epilepsy app was designed to help non-doctors determine if a person is having an epileptic seizure. "It can often be difficult to determine whether someone is having an epileptic seizure," said study author Victor Patterson, MD, a neurologist from Belfast, UK. "This app will help health professionals evaluate and make the diagnosis, especially when doctors are not available." To create the app, the researchers asked 67 people questions about their seizures. The most helpful questions/answers for predicting an epileptic seizure were then used to create an app. The app was then tested on 132 people in India and Nepal and the results were compared to the diagnosis from a doctor. The app was informative in 87 percent of people studied and agreed with the doctor's diagnosis in 96 percent of these cases. For the second study, researchers looked … Continue reading →

Current ratings for: New smartphone apps 'detect epilepsy and improve stroke care' Public / Patient: 0 0 ratings Health Professionals: 0 0 ratings In these modern times, there is practically a smartphone app for all aspects of life. Now, new research has detailed two new apps that could help people detect epileptic seizures and receive better treatment for stroke. The two new studies will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 66th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, PA, in April. For the first study that looks at the creation of the epilepsy app, the research team analyzed 67 people with the condition. They were asked questions about their seizures, and the researchers used the most useful questions and answers that could predict an epileptic seizure in order to create the app. The investigators tested the app on 132 individuals with epilepsy in India and Nepal and compared the results with their doctors' diagnoses. See the original post: New smartphone apps 'detect epilepsy and improve stroke care' … Continue reading →

Giving blood pressure lowering medications to patients who have suffered a stroke doesnt reduce their likelihood of death or major disability, according to a new study. The study was published inJAMA. At least 25 percent of the population has high blood pressure, which greatly increases the risk of stroke. Lowering blood pressure has been shown to reduce the risk of stroke. The study, which included more than 4,000 stroke patients in 26 hospitals in China, found no difference in terms of death or disability between people who had been given medicines to lower blood pressure post-stroke and those who had not. The medicines were given within 48 hours of the stroke. Blood pressure often is elevated following a stroke. But in most cases, treatment is unnecessary because the blood pressure declines naturally over time, and lowering blood pressure may be contraindicated, said stroke specialist Jos Biller, MD, chair of the Department of Neurology of Loyola University Medical Center. It is important not to overtreat and cause low blood pressure because the most important objective is to maintain adequate blood flow to the brain." More here: Post-Stroke Blood Pressure Treatment Not Always Effective … Continue reading →