More Strokes Can - And Should - Be Prevented

The number of people who each year die or are severely disabled by stroke could be substantially reduced through a cheap blood test and simple inexpensive treatment.
There is too little attention paid to stroke risk, compared with recognition of symptoms once a stroke has occurred. That is the opinion of Professor Graham Hughes, who discovered antiphospholipid syndrome, the medical condition now known as Hughes Syndrome and more colloquially as sticky blood. Although common, Hughes Syndrome is often unrecognised or misdiagnosed yet it is responsible for 1 in 5 strokes in the under 45s and 1 in 5 heart attacks in young (under 35) women.

Every five minutes somebody in the UK has a stroke. It is the third most common cause of death, costing the NHS over £2.8 billion a year. May is also designated Stroke Awareness month and the Hughes Syndrome Foundation is campaigning to increase appreciation that there is a potentially life-saving link.
"Anyone experiencing frequent headaches or migraine, visual disturbance or memory loss should be automatically tested for Hughes Syndrome; it should be routine," says Professor Hughes. "We know from patient experience that delay in diagnosis is common, with high costs to the NHS and the patient. The pity of it is that Hughes Syndrome is easily diagnosed and very treatable.

"Very many individuals have no history of thrombosis, however the risk is there," emphasised Professor Hughes. "Greater awareness in the medical profession, especially at GP level, as well as the general public, would substantially reduce both financial and emotional cost," added Professor Hughes. "People experiencing symptoms should never hesitate to ask their GP to be tested."
A YouGov Omnibus Survey early this year (January 2009) revealed that 68% of respondents agreed with Professor Hughes that following stroke, DVT or heart attack, people should automatically be tested for the condition.
For more information about symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of Hughes Syndrome visit http://www.hughes-syndrome.org call the Hughes Syndrome Foundation tel 020 7188 8217 or email hsf@btconnect.com

Notes
- Also known medically as antiphospholipid syndrome and more colloquially as 'sticky blood' Hughes Syndrome is an autoimmune disease which causes the blood to clot excessively and can affect any organ of the body giving rise to potentially fatal conditions.
- The Stroke Association estimates the annual cost of stroke to the NHS is £2.8 billion.
- Hughes Syndrome was discovered in 1983 by Professor Graham Hughes. Currently he is head of the London Lupus Centre at London Bridge Hospital.
- The conservative estimate of people at risk from Hughes Syndrome is 1% of the population - more than suffer from Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis. One study indicated that it could be 2-4%.
- In pregnancy clotting of the placenta can cause miscarriage or stillbirth and Hughes Syndrome causes 1 in 5 of all recurrent miscarriages. It is now recognized as the commonest, most treatable form of recurrent miscarriage.
- Hughes Syndrome can be detected with two relatively simple blood tests: aCL (anticardiolipin) and LA (lupus anticoagulant). The blood tests are cheap (no more than £10) and available at most laboratories throughout the world.
- Some cases are misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis, and patients with memory loss fear they are developing Alzheimers. If the symptoms are caused by Hughes Syndrome the conditions are potentially treatable.