Stroke patients undergo new treatment

Dr Robert Namushi and Dr Khalil Kawafi with the stroke team.

Seven patients from Rochdale and Bury have agreed to undergo a new treatment aimed at lowering blood pressure in stroke patients.

The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, with the support of the North West Stroke Research Network has now recruited more patients for the trial than any other trust in the country this year.

A person with a normal blood pressure is at lower risk of having a stroke and consultants want to find out if blood pressure should be artificially controlled immediately after a stroke.

The trial, taking place at Fairfield General Hospital, uses special patches that could replace the existing anti-hypertensive medication, which patients often struggle to swallow.

Dr Robert Namushi, a stroke consultant at Rochdale Infirmary, said: “What we are really trying to establish is whether doctors should or should not use medication to artificially lower blood pressure in the first seven days after a stroke. To do this we are using glycerl trinitrate patches as a method of lowering blood pressure. This type of patch has been used for many years in cardiac medicine and this trial will hopefully prove it is just as effective to help stroke patients.”

Dr Amit Kishore, registrar in stroke medicine, at The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "My colleague Dr Narayanamoori Saravanan and myself have been involved in identifying patients willing to help. The consultants at Fairfield General will only take on studies that they believe will seriously help patients. This means that they are always thinking about ways of developing stroke medicine. With the support and the high level of professionalism among the nursing staff on Ward 19, we will continue to make great strides forward.”