MEDIA RELEASE Embargoed until 12:01pm, Wednesday 29 May, (GMT, London time) #treatstroke New treatment for stroke set to increase chances of recovery Findings from largest global study of its kind to change treatment of intracerebral haemorrhage globally A landmark study has revealed a new way to treat intracerebral haemorrhage which stands to help millions of people worldwide. 1 The George Institute for Global Health study found that intensive blood pressure lowering in patients with intracerebral haemorrhage, the most serious type of stroke, reduced the risk of major disability and improved chances of recovery by as much as 20 per cent. The study, which involved more than 2800 patients from 140 hospitals around the world was announced today at the European Stroke Conference in London, and published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Intracerebral haemorrhage, spontaneous bleeding within the brain most often due to hypertension, affects one million people globally each year, kills 30 – 60 per cent of sufferers and leaves 50 per cent 2 of survivors disabled . Study lead and neurologist, Professor Craig Anderson of The George Institute and The University of Sydney said the study challenges previous thought about blood pressure lowering in intracerebral haemorrhage. “The study findings will mean significant changes to guidelines for stroke management worldwide. They show that early intensive blood pressure lowering, using widely available therapies, can significantly improve the outcome of this illness. “We hope to see hospital emergency departments around the world implement the new treatment as soon as possible. “By lowering blood pressure, we can slow bleeding in the brain, reduce damage and enhance recovery. “The study findings are tremendously exciting because they provide a safe and efficient treatment to improve the likelihood of a recovery without serious disability - a major concern for those who have experienced stroke. “The only treatment option to date has been risky brain surgery, so this research is a very welcome advance,” Professor Anderson said. The study found patients who suffered an acute intracerebral haemorrhage and received the blood pressure lowering treatment were better off from both a physical and psychological perspective. 1 Intensive Blood Pressure Reduction in Acute Cerebral Hemorrhage Trial (INTERACT2) Global Burden of Disease Study 2010, The Lancet, Volume 380, Issue 9859, 15 December 2012, Pages 2053 2054 2 Global Study Director, Dr Emma Heeley of The George Institute and The University of Sydney said the findings provide new hope for stroke survivors and their families, but highlights the need to get to hospital as quickly as possible if a stroke is suspected. “Getting a stroke victim to an emergency department as fast as possible is vital to the success of this treatment. “The sooner a medical team is able to lower the patient’s blood pressure, the greater their chances of leaving hospital with a good outcome,” Dr Heeley said. ENDS MEDIA ENQUIRIES United Kingdom and Europe: Graham Bagley +44 7747 445843 [email protected] All other countries: Maya Kay +61 410 411 983 [email protected] BACKGROUND INFORMATION • The major signs of stroke include facial weakness, arm weakness and speech or 3 comprehension difficulties . Other signs include: o o o o o • For more information visit http://www.interact2.org • INTERACT2 trial investigators per region: o o o o o o o o o o • 3 Weakness, numbness or paralysis of the face, arm or legs Dizziness, loss of balance or an unexplained fall Loss of vision, sudden blurring or decreased vision A severe headache with sudden onset Difficulty speaking Americas: Alejandro Rabinstein Argentina: Conrado Estol Australia: Craig Anderson Brazil: Gisele Sampaio Silva Chile: Pablo Lavados China: Yining Huang France: Christian Stapf India: Jeyaraj Durai Pandian Norway: Elvind Berge United Kingdom: Tom Robinson Participating hospitals in INTERACT2 study: National Stroke Foundation - voice of stroke in Australia - National Stroke Foundation – Australia. 2013. National Stroke Foundation - voice of stroke in Australia - National Stroke Foundation – Australia. [ONLINE] Available at: http://strokefoundation.com.au o Argentina: Clínica Adventista Belgrano – Luis Alberto Camputaro Clinica IMA – Héctor Perelmuter Hospital Central – Andres Barboza Hospital de Agudos “Juan A. Fernandez”- German Fernandez Hospital Privado de Comunidad – Pablo Ioli Hospital Prof. Dr. Luis Güemes – Pablo Jose Schoon o Australia: Austin Hospital – Helen Dewey Box Hill Hospital – Christopher Bladin Concord Hospital – Alastair Corbett Gosford Hospital – Jonathan Sturm John Hunter Hospital – Mark Parsons Monash Medical Centre – Thanh Phan Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital – Stephen Read Royal Melbourne Hospital – Stephen Davis Royal Prince Alfred Hospital – Craig Anderson Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital – David Blacker St Vincent’s Hospital – Romesh Markus The Canberra Hospital – Christian Lueck Western Hospital – Tissa Wijeratne Westmead Hospital – Andrew Evans o Austria: Allgemeines Krankenhaus Linz – Franz Gruber Medizinische Universität Graz – Franz Fazekas Medizinische Universität Innsbruck – Erich Schmutzhard o Belgium: AZ Sint Blasius Dendermonde – Adinda Depauw CHU Tivoli – Patricia Redondo Saez Clinique de l’Europe – Mathieu Rutgers UCL Bruxelles – Andre Peeters Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel – Raf Brouns o Brazil: Hospital das Clínicas de Porto Alegre – Sheila Martins Hospital das Clinicas de Ribeirao Preto – Soraia Cabette Hospital Espanhol – Jamary Oliveira FIlho Hospital Geral de Fortaleza – João José Carvalho Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein – Gisele Sampaio Silva Hospital Quinta D’Or – Gabriel Freitas Hospital Santa Marcelina – Ana Cláudia Ferraz de Almeida Hospital São Paulo – Gisele Sampaio Silva Universidade Federal do Paraná – Viviane H. Flumignan Zetola o Chile: Clinica Alemana, Santiago – J.M Montes Clinica Alemana, Temuco – Rodrigo Rivas S. Clínica Dávila – Sergio Illanes Complejo Asistencial Dr. Víctor Ríos Ruiz – Christian Figueroa Hospital Herminda Martin – Alexis Rojo Hospital Naval – Pablo Araya o China: Beijing Shijitan Hospital (General Railway Hospital) – He Maolin Central Hospital, Changning District of Shanghai – Tao Qingling Changsha Central Hospital – Liu Zhuqin Daxing County Hospital – Shi Fuming Fourth Hospital of Jilin Medical University – Cui Yong Gongli Hospital, Pudong of Shanghai – Sun Jian Haidian Hospital, Beijing – Yu Fengchun Hejian City People’s Hospital – Wang Yanxia Huashan Hospital – Dong Qiang Hunan Province Brain Hospital – Huang Xiaosong Inner Mongolia Baotou City Central Hospital – Li Yuechun Jiangsu Province Hospital of TCM – Jiang Yajun Navy General Hospital – Qi Xiaokun No. 3 People’s Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine – Zhu Youli Peking University Shougang Hospital – Ren Zhiping Pinggu County Hospital, Beijing – Tan Xiuge Qinghai Province People’s Hospital – Wu Shizheng Qinghai University Affiliated Hospital – Zhao Xiuli Qinghuangdao Second Hospital – Lin Xiaodong Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Second Medical University – Chen Shengdi Second Affiliated Hospital Suzhou University – Liu Chunfeng Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University – Tai Liwen Shijiazhuang 260 Hospital – Xu Yuehong The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College – Xu Tie The Branch Hospital of the First People’s Hospital – Wang Shaoshi The Chinese PLA No. 263 Hospital – Zhang Jinli The Fifth Affiliated Hospital Sun Yat-Sen University – Li Zhendong The First Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College – Wu Li’e The First Affiliated Hospital of Beijing University – Huang Yining The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University – Wang Ning The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College – Han Zhao The First Hospital of Nanjing – Zhou Junshan The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical College – Xu En The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College – Zhang Xiong The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University – Li Xin Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University – Liu JunYan Tianjin Medical University General Hospital – Cheng Yan Tianjin Thrid Central Hospital – Zhang Zhecheng Tongren Hospital – Zhang Xiaojun Wangcheng County People’s Hospital of Hunan Province – Peng Xiaolan Wuxi People’s Hospital – Zhang Jianping Xiangya Hospital of Changsha Central South University – Yang Qidong Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine – Liu Zhenguo Xining First People’s Hospital – Wang Yuning Xuzhou Central Hospital – Chen Guogfang Yutian County Hospital, Hebei Province – Wang Jinchao Zengcheng People’s Hospital – Zou Rong Zhangjiagang Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital – Qian Jufen o Finland: Helsinki University Central Hospital – Soinne Lauri o France: Centre Hospitalier de Calais – Olivier Dereeper Centre Hospitalier de Meaux – Alain Ameri Centre Hospitalier de Versailles – AnneCecile Zeghoudi Centre Hospitalier Sainte Anne – Emmanuel Touze CHU Bicetre – Christian Denier CHU Nantes, Hopital Laennec – Benoit Guillon CHU Pontchaillou – Thomas Ronziere Groupe Hospitalier Paris Saint-Joseph – Mathieu Zuber Hopital de la Cavale-Blanche – Serge Timsit Hopital de la Salpetrière – Sophie Crozier Hopital Delafontaine – Thomas De Broucker Hopital Jean Minjoz – Fabrice Vuillier Hopital Lariboisière – Christian Stapf Hopital Roger Salengro – Didier Leys Hopital Tenon – Sonia Alamowitch o Germany: Charite Campus Benjamin Franklin – Eric Jüttler Klinikum Frankfurt – Andreas Hartmann Martin Gropius Krankenhaus Eberswalde – Hans Michael Schmitt Universitätsklinikum Dresden – Hauke Schneider Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf – Sebastian Jander Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt – Christian Foerch Universitätsklinikum Halle – Katja Warternberg Universitätsklinikum HamburgEppendorf – Michael Rosenkranz Universitätsklinikum Mannheim – Michael Hennerici Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Oberer Elselsberg – R. Huber University of Heidelberg – Thorsten Steiner o Hong Kong: Prince of Wales Hospital – Lawrence Wong o India: Apollo Hospitals – Dedeepiya Devaprasad Apollo Hospitals – Subhashini Prabhakar Baby Memorial Hospital - Ummer Karadan CARE Hospital – J Murali Krishna Murthy Christian Medical College – Jeyaraj Pandian GNRC Hospital – Nomal Chandra Borah Jehangir Clinical Development Center – Nasli R Ichaporia Lalitha Super Speciality Hospital – Vijaya Pamidimukkala Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research – Dheeraj Khurana St. John’s Medical College and Hospital – G R K Sarma St. Theresa’s Hospital – Vikram Sharma o Italy: Neurologia-Nuovo Ospedale Civile Modena – Andrea Zini Ospedale di Branca – Stéfano Ricci Ospedale di Citta’ di Castello – Stéfano Ricci Ospedale Riuniti di Foggia – Luigi Specchio Ospedale San Giovanni Battista Foligno – Mauro Zampolini Santa Corona Hospital – Tiziana Tassinari Sapienza University of Rome – Danilo Toni o Netherlands: UMC Utrecht – Catharina JM Klijn o North America: Mayo Clinic – Alejandro Rabinstein o Norway: Helse Nord-Trøndelag HF Sykehuset Namsos – Stephan Schüler Helse Sunnmøre HF Ålesund sjukehus – Yngve Müller Seljeseth Oslo University Hospital Ullevaal – Sigurd Vatn and Else Charlotte Sandset Sørlandet sykehus HF Kristiansand – Arnstein Tveiten Sykehuset Innlandet HF Lillehammer – Nils Holand Universitetssykehuset Nord-Norge HF – Stein Harald Johnsen o Portugal: Centro Hospitalar de Vila de Gaia – Veloso Luis Miguel Galo Porto Sao Joao – Guilherme Gama o Spain: Hospital Clinic Barcelona – Angel Chamorro Hospital de Girona Dr. Josep Trueta – Yolanda Silva Hospital General Universitario de Albacete – Tomas Segura o Switzerland: Inselspital Neurologische Klinik Bern – Urs Fischer o United Kingdom: Addenbrookes Hospital – Elizabeth Warburton Bristol Royal Infirmary – Sarah Caine County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust – Bernard Esisi James Cook University Hospital – David Broughton John Radcliff Hospital – James Kennedy Leeds General Infirmary – Ahamad Hassan Leicester Royal Infirmary – Amit Mistri Musgrove Park Hospital – Robert Whiting New Cross Hospital – Kenneth Fotherby Northumbria Healthcare Foundation Trust – Christopher Price Nottingham University Hospital – Ganesh Subramanian Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead – Tim Cassidy Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital – Gunaratnam Gunathilagan Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospital – Damian Jenkinson Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital – Martin James Royal Surrey County Hospital – Adrian Blight Royal United Hospital – Louise Shaw Royal Victoria Infirmary – Anand Dixit Salford Royal Hospital – Adrian ParryJones St Georges Hospital – Caroline Lovelock St. Thomas Hospital – Ajay Bhalla University College Hospital – David Werring University Hospital of North Staffordshire – Christine Roffe William Harvey Hospital – David Hargroves The George Institute for Global Health is improving the lives of millions of people worldwide through innovative health research. Working across a broad health landscape, the Institute conducts clinical, population and health system research aimed at changing health practice and policy worldwide. The Institute has a global network of medical and health experts working together to address the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Established in Australia and affiliated with The University of Sydney, the Institute today also has offices in China, India and the United Kingdom, and is also affiliated with Peking University Health Science Centre, the University of Hyderabad and the University of Oxford.