Published: Aug. 17, 2016
Sparrow is now enrolling Patients in a new national study comparing different methods of stroke prevention for Patients with carotid artery narrowing.
Sparrow is among up to 120 medical centers nationwide participating in the so-called CREST-2 study, which seeks 2,480 participants across the United States and Canada. Qualified participants are needed at the Sparrow Clinical Research Institute over the next five years, said Joel Cohn, M.D., a Sparrow Cardiovascular Interventionist and local principal investigator of the research.
To qualify, participants must be at least 35 years old, have a significant narrowing of one carotid artery with at least 70 percent blockage, and have no history of stroke or transient ischemic attack within the last six months.
“Physicians want to identify the best way to prevent strokes in people who have a narrowing in their carotid artery,” Dr. Cohn said.
Buildup of atherosclerosis, or plaque, commonly known as hardening of the arteries, occurs where the carotid artery divides into the internal and external arteries. Patients with carotid artery disease may be at risk of stroke if clots or debris from plaque are dislodged from the carotid artery wall. As the material travels through blood vessels it can interrupt blood flow to the brain, resulting in stroke.
Stroke is the fifth most common cause of death in the United States and the leading cause of disability in adults. To date, no research has been conducted to compare medical management of Patients with two common stroke treatment procedures, carotid endarterectomy and carotid stenting.
“The information from this study will help us learn more about the best treatment for stroke prevention,” Dr. Cohn said.
Sparrow is dedicated to improving the delivery of healthcare for our Patients by participating in innovative, high quality, clinical research to add and support the development of the body of knowledge in medicine. An important key to helping Sparrow fulfill its mission and vision is through medical research.
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