Thousands could benefit from greater use of revolutionary stroke treatment
Mechanical thrombectomy is a more effective treatment than clot-busting drugs alone for acute stroke caused by blockage of a large blood vessel by a clot.
Almost 10,000 UK stroke patients a year could benefit from a new procedure, according to research presented at the UK Stroke Forum Conference in Liverpool.
Thousands of people who are admitted to hospital following a stroke each year are eligible for mechanical clot removal, which can substantially reduce disability if carried out within 6 hours of the onset of symptoms. However, only a tiny minority currently receive it.
Mechanical thrombectomy is a more effective treatment than clot-busting drugs alone for acute stroke caused by blockage of a large blood vessel by a clot. It involves a specialist inserting a catheter into the arm or leg and removing the clot from the blood vessel to the brain using a mesh (stent) or suction.
The new research findings presented at the UK Stroke Forum in Liverpool show that as many as one in ten stroke patients admitted to hospital –8,770-9,750 patients each year – could benefit from this revolutionary treatment. Currently very few UK hospitals have enough specialists and the necessary support teams to be able to provide mechanical thrombectomy 24 hours a day.
The study was carried out by researchers from Newcastle University, Northumbria University, Oxford Academic Health Science Network (Oxford AHSN) and the National Institute for Health Research Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care - South West Peninsula (NIHR PenCLAHRC).
Prof Phil White, Professor of Neuroradiology at Newcastle University and Consultant at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals, said: “Mechanical thrombectomy is a highly effective treatment for acute ischaemic stroke, with eight clinical trials showing a significant reduction in disability after stroke if it is used immediately in the right patients. The challenge is to make this technique more widely available, as current figures suggest that fewer than 600 patients receive this treatment each year in the UK.”
Dr Martin James, Consultant Stroke Physician at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital and a researcher with NIHR PenCLAHRC, said: “Delivering mechanical thrombectomy to the 9,000 people who need it will require major changes to the configuration and skill sets of existing acute stroke services. We must work quickly to establish what needs to be done so that more people in the UK can benefit from a treatment which can dramatically reduce disability after a stroke as well as cutting associated costs to the NHS and social care.”
Prof Gary Ford CBE, Chief Executive of Oxford AHSN and Consultant Stroke Physician at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “AHSNs have a key role in ensuring the uptake of medical innovation that improves patient outcomes. In order to accelerate UK stroke patients’ access to life-changing innovation, a first step is to have a clear understanding of the number of people who could benefit from mechanical thrombectomy every year. Our research presented today provides that information.”
Prof Stuart Logan, Director NIHR PenCLAHRC said: “I am delighted about the results of this study and the CLAHRC’s continued involvement in research around treatments for patients who have suffered a stroke. We hope that this will lead to further collaborative work within this group and ultimately improved outcomes and experiences for patients.”
Related News
-
News Patients vs Pharma – who will the Inflation Reduction Act affect the most?
The Inflation Reduction Act brought in by the Biden administration in 2022 aims to give better and more equitable access to healthcare in the USA. However, pharma companies are now concerned about the other potential costs of such legislation. -
News CPHI Podcast Series: What does the changing US Pharma market mean for industry and patients alike?
In this week's episode of the CPHI Podcast Series Lucy Chard, Digital Editor for CPHI Online is joined by James Manser to discuss the political and market changes in the US pharma field. -
News CPHI Barcelona Annual Report illuminates industry trends for 2024
The CPHI Annual Survey comes into it’s 7th year to report on the predicted trends for 2024. Over 250 pharma executives were asked 35 questions, with their answers informing the industry landscape for the next year, spanning all major pharma marke... -
News Which 10 drugs are open to price negotiation with Medicare in the USA?
The Centres for Medicare & Medicaid Services, under the Biden administration in the USA, has released a list of the 10 drugs that will be open to price negotiations as part of the new legislation under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). -
News EU Medical Devices Regulation causes unintended disappearances of medical devices for children, doctors state
Doctor groups and associations have appealed to the EU to correct the EU Medical Devices Regulation law that may cause unintended shortages of essential drug and medical devices for children and rare disease patients. -
News 10 Major Drug Approvals So Far in 2023
Last year, 37 novel drugs were approved by the FDA, this was a high number for such a category, and covered many fields including oncology, demonstrating how promising further research is, and how it is only continuing to build. To date, there are alre... -
News Detecting Alzheimer's disease with a simple lateral flow test
A novel rapid diagnostic test for early-stage Alzheimer's disease has been developed using a biomarker binder from Aptamer Group along with technology from Neuro-Bio, the neurodegenerative disease experts. -
News CPHI Podcast Series: outsourcing and manufacturing trends
Listen to the CPHI Podcast Series this June to hear Gil Roth of the PBOA speak with Digital Editor Lucy Chard about the biggest trends and topics to watch in pharma outsourcing and manufacturing at the minute.
Position your company at the heart of the global Pharma industry with a CPHI Online membership
-
Your products and solutions visible to thousands of visitors within the largest Pharma marketplace
-
Generate high-quality, engaged leads for your business, all year round
-
Promote your business as the industry’s thought-leader by hosting your reports, brochures and videos within your profile
-
Your company’s profile boosted at all participating CPHI events
-
An easy-to-use platform with a detailed dashboard showing your leads and performance