2008 Woodie Awards
Science Briefs
WATCHMAN PROMISES TO STOP STROKE
Alexander Tingey
Issue date: 11/30/06 Section: Health
- Page 1 of 1
Thousands of people who suffer from an irregular heartbeat known as atrial fibrillation can now rest a bit easier as research has begun on a product intended to stop strokes in the affected people.
According to the Associated Press "the Watchman device (as it is being called for now) might provide long-needed protection for thousands of people with atrial fibrilation, whose main hope now is a problematic blood-thinning drug that too many can't tolerate."
About 2.8 million Americans suffer from atrial fibulation and this device could be revolutionary for many of the affected patients.
Atrial fibulation occurs when the top valves of the heart become out of sync with the lower two valves and cause the atria to contract rapidly and out of beat. The result is a pool of blood which forms inside the heart, allowing blood clots which could cause stroke to form.
The Associated Press reports that "atrial fibrillation, 90 percent of stroke-causing blood clots collect inside a jalapeno pepper-shaped flap of tissue that hangs off the edge of the left atrium. Some call it the heart's belly button, a leftover from fetal development that the body no longer needs."
The Watchman device effectively plugs the small gaps in the heart's valves and creates a lock around the valves. So far doctors are unsure if the Watchman will effectively stop the deadly clots from forming within the heart, however the major study is being conducted in Royal Oaks, Michigan.
The current regimen of treatment revolves around a hard-to-use drug called Coudamin. The blood thinner is effective at keeping clotting to a minimum but comes with several serious side effects including life-threatening bleeding.
The Associated Press also reports that "an American Stroke Association spokesman cautioned that it's far too early to know whether an implant will prove a better gamble than Coumadin, a proven stroke fighter. "I wouldn't want to raise hopes before the data is in," said Dr. Larry Goldstein, director of Duke University's stroke center."
According to the Associated Press "the Watchman device (as it is being called for now) might provide long-needed protection for thousands of people with atrial fibrilation, whose main hope now is a problematic blood-thinning drug that too many can't tolerate."
About 2.8 million Americans suffer from atrial fibulation and this device could be revolutionary for many of the affected patients.
Atrial fibulation occurs when the top valves of the heart become out of sync with the lower two valves and cause the atria to contract rapidly and out of beat. The result is a pool of blood which forms inside the heart, allowing blood clots which could cause stroke to form.
The Associated Press reports that "atrial fibrillation, 90 percent of stroke-causing blood clots collect inside a jalapeno pepper-shaped flap of tissue that hangs off the edge of the left atrium. Some call it the heart's belly button, a leftover from fetal development that the body no longer needs."
The Watchman device effectively plugs the small gaps in the heart's valves and creates a lock around the valves. So far doctors are unsure if the Watchman will effectively stop the deadly clots from forming within the heart, however the major study is being conducted in Royal Oaks, Michigan.
The current regimen of treatment revolves around a hard-to-use drug called Coudamin. The blood thinner is effective at keeping clotting to a minimum but comes with several serious side effects including life-threatening bleeding.
The Associated Press also reports that "an American Stroke Association spokesman cautioned that it's far too early to know whether an implant will prove a better gamble than Coumadin, a proven stroke fighter. "I wouldn't want to raise hopes before the data is in," said Dr. Larry Goldstein, director of Duke University's stroke center."
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