May is Stroke Awareness Month: Know The Facts It Can Happen to You

Do you know?

• Stroke is an emergency and a brain attack, cutting off vital blood flow and oxygen to the brain.
•  In the United States, stroke is the fourth leading cause of death, killing over 133,000 people each year, and a leading cause of serious, long-term adult disability. 
• There are an estimated 7,000,000 stroke survivors in the U.S. over age 20.Approximately 795,000 strokes will occur this year, one occurring every 40 seconds, and taking a life approximately every four minutes. 
• Stroke can happen to anyone at any time, regardless of race, sex or age. 
• From 1998 to 2008, the annual stroke death rate fell approximately 35 percent, and the actual number of deaths fell by 19 percent.
• Approximately 55,000 more women than men have a stroke each year.
• African Americans have almost twice the risk of first-ever stroke compared
  with whites. 

Types of Stroke:

 Ischemic stroke occurs when arteries are blocked by blood clots or by the gradual build-up of plaque and other fatty deposits. About 87 percent of all strokes are ischemic.

 Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain breaks leaking blood into the brain. Hemorrhagic strokes account for thirteen percent of all strokes, yet are responsible for more than thirty percent of all stroke deaths.

Two million brain cells die every minute during stroke, increasing risk of permanent brain damage, disability or death. Recognizing symptoms and acting FAST to get medical attention can save a life and limit disabilities.

The prevalence of transient ischemic attacks (TIA – “mini strokes”) increases with age. Up to 40 percent of all people who suffer a TIA will go on to experience a stroke.

Women are twice as likely to die from stroke than breast cancer annually.
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Gerry's Story: Deep Vein Thrombosis

State-of-the-Art Technology and Quick Intervention Saves Limbs and Lives

59-year-old Margate, Florida resident Gerry recently became a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) statistic and is lucky to be alive. Gerry developed a two and half foot long blood clot that started below his knee, ran all the way up his leg, wrapped into his abdomen and up to the level of his belly button.

“They basically told me to go home and put my affairs in order. It was very frightening.”
Gerry is a classic case of DVT waiting to happen.  When his right leg began swelling, his primary care doctor diagnosed a blood clot behind the knee and prescribed an oral blood thinner to prevent the clot from getting bigger and potentially going into his lungs. It didn’t work. Within days his leg blew up three times its normal size and the pain was excruciating.

 Interventional Radiologists at South Florida Vascular Associates discovered that the clot had extended all the way up the leg and into the pelvis,  measuring almost 2 ½ feet long.

This type of DVT is rare and it is usually seen once every few months, if that. If left untreated, or treatment is unsuccessful, it could result in post thrombotic syndrome (PTS) in which the valves in the legs are damaged from the clot causing permanent disability.There is also risk of a piece of the clot breaking off and traveling to the lungs that can cause a pulmonary embolism, which can be life-threatening,

“I put my affairs in order and wrote a farewell letter to my wife just in case something went wrong. It was surreal, said Gerry..

Since the blood clot was so massive, and previous oral blood thinner medications failed, the best way to dissolve the clot and save Gerry's leg was to use a device called the EKOS Ultrasound Catheter.
Here’s how this state-of-the-art, minimally invasive device works.

Performed in a hospital Endovascular Lab, the EKOS catheter is inserted behind the knee and threaded through the clot. It uses ultrasonic energy to deliver clot busting drugs like TPA directly to the clot, causing it to break-up and dissolve like a melting ice cube, restoring blood flow much more quickly. In many cases, if the clot is less than 2 weeks old, it takes only 12-14 hours to dissolve, but in Gerry's case, the clot was 5 weeks old and so massive that it took 2 days.  Remarkably, soon after treatment, Gerry's debilitating leg pain and swelling resolved allowing him walk normally and finally return back to work.

Unfortunately, many people are not aware of this technology and should because it saves limbs and lives.  EKOS state-of-the art technology offers significant benefits over other methods for DVT treatment. It’s faster, reduces the risk of post thrombotic syndrome, and requires less clot busting medication greatly reducing the risk of bleeding complications such as brain bleeds.

Based on U.S. statistics, up to 600,000 people develop DVT each year with an estimate of over 100,000 pulmonary embolism deaths each year in the U.S.

The number of DVT cases is concerning. There’s a vital need to make people aware of the risk factors and how to prevent it and recognize early warning signs. This is the only way we can reduce these staggering statistics.

Obesity, lack of exercise, smoking, sitting too long at our desks or during long commutes; birth control pills and being over age 40 are the biggest risk factors.

As a restaurant supply sales person, Gerry spends long hours behind the wheel of his car, is overweight and was a smoker.

This experience was a real wake-up call and a great learning experience for Gerry. He quit smoking, is exercising, eating healthy and even gets out of his car when he’s been sitting too long to stretch his legs and walk around.“I’ve got a second chance at life and I’m doing it right this time!” he says. 

U.S Adds More on Blood Clot Risk to Some Birth Control Pills

In a recent article published by Reuters, US regulators are adding information to the labels on a popular class of birth control pills that includes Bayer AG's, Yaz, and Yasmin to show that they may raise the risk of blood clots.
  
All common birth control pills increase a woman's chances of getting potentially fatal blood clots.
But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said  that some studies showed the danger may be even higher for more recent pills that contain the compound drospirenone, a synthetic hormone.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the FDA said that women should talk to their health-care professional about their risk for blood clots before deciding which birth-control method to use and that doctors should consider a woman's risk for developing a blood clot before prescribing the drugs.

Most birth-control pills contain two types of hormones, estrogen and progestin. All types of pills increase the risk of blood clots, and product labels warn of such risk.

While the risk of blood clots is low among women who take birth-control pills, the FDA said it is higher than the risk among women who aren't taking the pills. However, the risk of blood clots from pregnancy and during the postpartum period is higher than that of women taking all types of birth-control pills.

Blood clots form inside a vein and are known as deep vein thrombosis. The clots usually form in the lower leg or thigh, but can break loose and travel to other areas of the body such as the

The FDA's own study found that 10 in 10,000 women taking pills with drospirenone would get a blood clot per year, compared with about six in 10,000 women taking older contraceptives.

A clot in blood vessels can prove fatal if it breaks loose and travels to the lungs, heart or brain.

To put the risk into perspective, the FDA added that the risk of blood clots from pregnancy is even higher than any risk from birth control pills.

The announcement comes after an advisory committee of outside experts to the FDA voted in December for a label revision for pills with drospirenone, calling for clearer information about their risks and benefits.

The experts stopped short of agreeing that these pills' risks outweighed their benefits, since some studies found the pills did not increase blood clot risks.

During a December panel meeting, some women's advocacy groups called for the pills to be taken off the market, as the studies that viewed pills favorably were industry-funded.

The consumer groups and patients shared tearful stories about sudden deaths or life-changing disabilities they or their loved ones suffered from blood clots, which they believed were caused by Yaz or Yasmin.

Most common contraceptive pills combine the hormones estrogen and progestin to help block ovulation and sperm. But they also increase the chance of a woman getting blood clots compared to not taking pills, particularly as she ages.


If you or a loved one are taking Yaz, we encourage you to check with your family physician to be sure that this is the right contraceptive medication for you.

Cancer Patients at Higher Risk of Developing Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

It is well known within the medical community that cancer patients have an increased risk of developing deep-vein thrombosis -- blood clots that develop in deep veins in the lower extremities. Did you know that more than 90 percent of patients with cancer may be at risk for DVT?  According to the Coalition to Prevent DVT, a majority of cancer patients were not aware of the increased risk for DVT and its potentially fatal complication, pulmonary embolism. In fact, complications from deep vein thrombosis are the second leading cause of death among cancer patients.
 If you or a loved one have cancer, it is most important to discuss your potential risk of deep vein thrombosis with your healthcare provider because blood clots can be prevented.
Cancer may put you at an increased risk for blood clots because:
•    Surgery or chemotherapy may injure blood vessel walls, causing the blood to clot
•    Certain types of cancer treatments may reduce the body’s ability to produce blood clotting agents called anticoagulants
Complications from DVT blood clots kill up to 600,000 people in the U.S. each year — more than AIDS and breast cancer combined.
If you have pain and swelling in your lower extremities, be sure to seek medical attention as soon as possible

Travel & Deep Vein Thrombisis (DVT)

While there is no direct link between travel and deep vein thrombosis, sitting for long periods of time could put you at higher risk especially if you have additional risk factors such as cancer, congested heart failure, are over the age of 40, are obese or are a smoker.
Whether you are traveling by plane, train or car, it is important to speak with your doctor about the potential risk of DVT and other health issues before you leave for your trip.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), when traveling for more than four hours you should
•    Get up and move around every two to three hours
•    Keep hydrated and drink plenty of water
•    Reduce alcohol or caffeine consumption
•    Avoid crossing legs for long periods of time

Why is March Deep Vein Thrombosis Month?

March is Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Awareness Month. It's no coincidence, according to The Vascular Disease Foundation, that the month selected to raise awareness about this potentially fatal disease is the only month named with an action verb. Consumers need to take action to prevent deep vein thrombosis.
Deep vein thrombosis is a blood clot in the deep veins in the legs. These clots can break loose and travel to the lungs, causing a potentially fatal deep vein thrombosis, Dr. William Julien, DVT, pulmonary embolism (PE). They can also cause permanent damage to the leg veins that result in long-term pain, swelling, change in skin color and skin ulcers.
The Vascular Disease Foundation says that DVT and pulmonary embolism affect more than 600,000 people every year. Some people experience swelling and varying levels of discomfort in the affected area, while others don't feel anything at all. The symptoms of DVT can be similar to a pulled muscle. Because some people with DVT don't have any symptoms, and because the symptoms can masquerade as a more benign ailment, there's often a delay in diagnosis. That's when DVT can be fatal. DVT/PE is the fourth leading cause of death in western society, with more fatalities than breast cancer, AIDS and traffic accidents combined.
Anyone can develop DVT. The more risk factors you have, the greater your risk. Risk factors include:
• Hospitalization
• Recent major surgery or injury
• Personal or family history of a clotting disorder or DVT
• Cancer and cancer treatments
• Immobility
• Prolonged sitting when traveling
• Obesity
• Smoking
When diagnosed and treated early enough, DVT isn't always life-threatening. Risk can be reduced by:
• Knowing your risk factors
• Exercising regularly
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Not smoking

South Florida Vascular Associates Opens New Location in Boynton Beach, florida

Patients Residing in Palm Beach Communities Who Suffer from Vascular Diseases Can Now be Treated at our Newest Center of Excellence for Minimally Invasive Endovascular Care

Dr. William Julien and South Florida Vascular Associates are proud to announce the opening of a new location in Palm Beach County. Our new office is located at 10151 Enterprise Center Blvd. Suite 204, Boynton Beach, FL.

Dr. Julien is a board certified interventional radiologist who specializes in the treatment of vascular diseases using minimally invasive, endovascular procedures with imaging guidance. Minimally invasive techniques often replace the need for traditional open surgical procedures. They are generally easier for the patient because they involve no large incisions, less traumatic on the patient, less pain and shorter recovery times.

“We are pleased to offer our unique, comprehensive, endovascular services to the people of Boynton Beach and the surrounding Palm Beach communities,” says Dr. Julien who is one of the first interventional radiology physicians in the country to have an office-based clinical practice. His 8,000 square foot office in Coconut Creek, FL. is equipped with 3 in-office endovascular suites where he performs minimally invasive endovascular procedures that are traditionally done in the hospital. Unlike vascular surgery, which treats vascular disease with open surgery, endovascular surgery is a branch of medicine that treats disease processes through the vascular system, using catheter-based image-guided techniques.

“We look forward to working with our new patients and colleagues in Palm Beach County and welcome the opportunity to work together offering the community the best medical outcome,” said Dr. Warren Swee.

For more information call 561-752-5195 or visit www.southfloridavascular.com