Homocysteine – a common risk for stroke and Parkinson’s disease

meoclinic_de — Mon, 10 May 2010 07:47:05 +0000

On the occasion of Stroke Awareness Day on May 10, 2010, as initiated by the Deutsche Schlaganfallstiftung (German Foundation for Stroke Research), we report here about a link between homocysteine levels in people and a common risk for Parkinson’s disease and stroke. Common diagnostics for brain ischemia do not reveal the cause for stroke in all affected patients. Quite often, people suffer strokes even though they are not in one of the known risk groups. It is not rare to find the indicators of risk factors for stroke within the normal range in the blood. On the other hand, if at all examined, a significantly elevated homocysteine level can be observed.

Homocysteine is also known as the “new cholesterol”. In excessive concentrations, the amino acid can damage to the inner blood vessel wall, which then leads to vasoconstriction and to a measureable probability that a person can develop thrombosis.

“The harmful effect of homocysteine has been demonstrated in patients who have suffered strokes, or who suffer from other neurological and psychiatric disorders such as in Parkinson’s disease or dementia, in burn-out syndrome, in migraine, or in case of generally poor performance). Often, the symptoms lessen if the hyperhomocysteinemia is treated”, explains Prof. Dr. Horst Glasner, neurologist and psychiatrist at the Berlin MEOCLINIC.

The metabolic disease is diagnosed through a metabolic study on an outpatient basis.

Among the causes of an elevated homocysteine level are:

Different physical diseases
Nicotine abuse (in some cases, a “smoker’s leg” is a combination of nicotine abuse and hyperhomocysteinemia)
Hereditary predisposition with familial clustering

Therapies vary and should remain in the hands of specialists. Anyone with an elevated homocysteine level should commit to a long-term treatment, as homocysteine concentrations in the blood must be continuously evaluated and maintained within the normal range.

The MEOCLINIC is a private medical clinic offering outpatient and inpatient care. The clinic provides intensive monitoring and is equipped with multiple surgeries. Specialists from 41 disciplines, including surgery, neurology and psychiatry, acupuncture, cardiology, homeopathy, etc., work together interdisciplinary. In addition to conventional treatments, the MEOCLINIC also offers preventive healthcare check-up programs. Our general practice is also open to patients insured with state health insurance.

Press Contact: Katharina Haase, MEOCLINIC GmbH, Friedrichstr. 71 Quartier 206, 10117 Berlin, Tel +49/(0)30/20944000, Fax +49(0)30/20946609,
presse@meoclinic.de, , www.meoclinic.de

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Patient friendly, whole-body MRI

Ronny Simon — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 07:11:34 +0000

The MEOCLINIC in Berlin, on Friedrichstrasse, offers its patients a new and modern whole-body MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), using the new special SmartExam technology. The correct settings are chosen for each patient individually, regardless of the patient’s age or body size.

With kind permission of Philips Deutschland GmbH

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