New Medical Report Signals Cutting-Edge Stroke Treatment, Improved Patient Outcomes

DENVER, Dec. 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- There is new hope for the 695,000 Americans who suffer an acute ischemic stroke each year: A report published today in the New England Journal of Medicine confirms the addition of intra-arterial treatment provides significant clinical benefit to patients when compared to the use of pharmaceutical treatment alone. Known as MR CLEAN, this groundbreaking clinical study is the first study proving that inside the artery treatment for large artery occlusion is superior to best medical therapy and is considered the most significant finding for stroke treatment in nearly two decades.

Donald Frei, MD, and the expert stroke team at Swedish Medical Center's Radiology Imaging Associates are already hard at work treating patients with this highly effective therapy.

"Stroke mortality and permanent disability rates have significantly decreased in our practice, and physical impairment is minimized," according to Dr. Frei.

Ischemic strokes are those that are often caused by a blood clot or embolism that stops blood flow to the brain, according to Dr. Frei. The condition is commonly a result of clogged arteries and excess plaque. About 85 percent of strokes are ischemic, and are the most common type in adults. Ischemic strokes occur every 40 seconds and are the fourth leading cause of death in the US.

According to Dr. Frei, intra-arterial treatment is known as a thrombectomy. This medical intervention means that a mechanical device is introduced to remove blood clots from vessels in the head when a clot obstructs one of the major intracranial arteries. And, as the MR CLEAN study has confirmed, this type of intervention is beneficial to stroke patients who had received today's standard of care known as tissue plasminogen activator or tPa -- and those who had not. Quicker clot removal offers the potential to restore blood flow faster, and to minimize neurological impairment. 

"We've got to remember that the key to effective treatment is getting it quickly," Dr. Frei added.  "That's because during a stroke, more than 30,000 brain cells die per second."

Swedish Medical Center is Colorado's First Comprehensive Stroke Center, as certified by the Joint Commission. This new level of certification recognizes the advanced technology, staff and training that comprehensive stroke centers must have to provide state-of-the-art complex stroke care. Further, Swedish cares for more stroke patients more quickly than any other hospital in Colorado, with stroke patients seeking treatment from throughout the five state Rocky Mountain region. 

"We are very focused on our partnerships with physicians to constantly improve patient safety and outcomes, and we are proud of our advancement in stroke care," said Mary M. White, President & CEO Swedish Medical Center. "This is one example of how we as a team continue to be a leader in clinical care improvements and as a neuroscience hospital in the region, and the nation."

"We view this study outcome to be the most promising news in years, and this therapy is now our first line of defense when treating stroke patients," added Dr. Frei. 

Stroke is the number one cause of disability in the US. Stroke costs $74 billion in healthcare expenditures annually for treatment due to disability, with more than 20 million Americans disabled from stroke each year.

About Swedish Medical Center

Swedish Medical Center in Englewood, Colorado serves as the Rocky Mountain Region's referral center for neurotrauma and as the region's only Joint Commission certified Comprehensive Stroke Center, a recognized leader in the most advanced stroke care. An acute care hospital with 368 licensed beds. Swedish is located in the south metro Denver area. Annually, Swedish cares for more than 200,000 patients with a team of 2,000 dedicated employees, 500 volunteers and more than 1,300 physicians.

About RIA Neurovascular

RIA Neurovascular provides world-class stroke treatment at Swedish Medical Center. Our physicians treat patients from a five state region (Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Montana) and are known internationally as being leaders in the treatment of Acute Ischemic Stroke. RIA Neurovascular with Swedish Medical Center was handpicked as one of five sites to participate in the ESCAPE stroke trial (results to be released in Feb 2015).

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SOURCE Swedish Medical Center