The British Heart Foundation (BHF) announces an £850,000 grant to researchers at the Universities of Edinburgh, Nottingham, and collaborators, to begin trialling new treatments for a type of stroke affecting around 35,000 people in the UK each year1, 2.
A lacunar stroke is caused by damage to one of the small vessels deep within the brain that affects the flow of blood and can lead to long-term disability. It accounts for around one in four ischaemic strokes3, where blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted. Researchers also believe it could be an underlying cause of at least 40 per cent of dementias4.
There is currently no proven treatment for a lacunar stroke, and existing anti-clotting treatments for stroke including aspirin may even be harmful.
However, a team of researchers from around the UK led by Professor Joanna Wardlaw at the University of Edinburgh will now use BHF funding to run a clinical trial of drugs they believe could offer a new treatment for this disabling stroke.
In the three year-long trial, around 200 patients will be treated with either cilostazol, isosorbide mononitrate or both. Cilostazol costs around 63 pence per tablet and is currently used to treat people with peripheral arterial disease5. Isosorbide mononitrate costs around 7 pence per tablet and is currently used to treat people with conditions such as angina6.
The researchers think that these drugs may help reduce the damage to the arteries in the brain that cause the stroke. They will perform MRI scans on people taking part in the trial to see what effects these drugs have on the small blood vessels within the brain.
If successful, this research could mean new ways to treat lacunar strokes and potentially prevent some cases of dementia.
Professor Joanna Wardlaw, leading the research at the University of Edinburgh, said:
"It's very clear that lacunar strokes can cause brain damage, affecting thinking ability, balance and the way people walk. With this in mind, there is a strong link between this type of stroke and dementia.
"This trial is important as it's one of the first looking into treatments for this particular type of stroke. Following treatment with these drugs, we'll be monitoring how the blood vessels are changing and seeing if they improve the outcomes of patients that have suffered a lacunar stroke."
Approximately 40,000 people die from a stroke every year in the UK and the condition is a major cause of disability with over a million UK stroke survivors7. The BHF currently funds around £13 million of research into preventing and treating stroke8. As part of its new research strategy launched last month, the charity aims to fund more than half a billion pounds of cardiovascular research over the next five years and increase funding for clinical trials such as this one9.
Dr Shannon Amoils, Senior Research Advisor at the British Heart Foundation, which is funding the research, said:
"There are currently no proven treatments for lacunar stroke and this important trial will establish if two drugs, already available in the UK for other conditions, are safe to use in people with this type of stroke. The trial also aims to lay the foundations for a larger, more definitive study in the future.
"As part of our new research strategy, we plan to increase our funding for clinical trials like this one that could improve the lives of the millions of people living with heart and circulatory disease across the UK. However, we will only be able to fund this research with the continued support of the public and our loyal supporters."
Agnes Nicolson from Edinburgh suffered from a lacunar stroke five years ago, she said:
"After having a stroke I became so forgetful. Often I'll forget words when I'm talking to people, which can be incredibly frustrating. I know what I want to say but just can't find the words to put my point across. Sometimes I'll pick up the TV remote control and I won't remember how to use it. My mind goes completely blank and I panic a bit.
"I do worry about the future. It's great to see that the BHF are funding research that could help people recover more fully from this type of stroke in the future."
Professor Wardlaw will be collaborating with research groups from the University of Nottingham, Leeds General Infirmary, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and University College London.