Doctors should also use the new scoring system for stroke risk, published in March 2014, called CHAD VASC. It determines whether you should skip treatment, take an aspirin or go on an oral anticoagulant.
How does the CHAD VASC assessment score a woman's stroke risk?
On both the old and new scoring systems, you get 1 point each if you have congestive heart failure, hypertension and diabetes[1]. You're assigned 2 points if you've already had a stroke.
The CHAD VASC score also assigns 1 point if you're between ages 65 and 74, and 2 points if you're 75 and older. You also add 1 point each for vascular disease and being a woman.
Women using the new score are given anticoagulants sooner, instead of aspirin.
Those who go on anticoagulants usually are on them for the rest of their lives. You don't want to risk blood clots.
[Editor's note: Anticoagulants, such as warfarin, are blood thinners that greatly reduce the risk of stroke, according to the National Stroke Association. Aspirin also thins the blood, but not as effectively. But both medications can potentially increase bleeding, including into the brain, which could cause a different kind of stroke.]
Source: http://ift.tt/1vpEK91
Put the internet to work for you.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please, don't spam! Send only useful and thematic comments. Thanks!