Blood Test May Help Spot Stroke
Blood Test May Help Spot Stroke
Sept. 29, 2011 (San Diego) -- A new blood test shows promise for helping to detect stroke.
In a preliminary study of 152 people, the test correctly identified 98% of those who had had an ischemic stroke and 86% of those who hadn't had one. Ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke. It occurs when a clot blocks blood flow in the brain.
The test measures levels of a brain chemical called glutamate. When blood flow to the brain is impaired, glutamate is rapidly released into the bloodstream, says researcher Kerstin Bettermann, MD, PhD, associate professor of neurology at Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey.
The findings were presented here at the annual meeting of the American Neurological Association.
A Visual Guide to Understanding Stroke
In a preliminary study of 152 people, the test correctly identified 98% of those who had had an ischemic stroke and 86% of those who hadn't had one. Ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke. It occurs when a clot blocks blood flow in the brain.
The test measures levels of a brain chemical called glutamate. When blood flow to the brain is impaired, glutamate is rapidly released into the bloodstream, says researcher Kerstin Bettermann, MD, PhD, associate professor of neurology at Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey.
The findings were presented here at the annual meeting of the American Neurological Association.
A Visual Guide to Understanding Stroke
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