![Stroke victims in Ballarat could be part of a clinical trial to test a new drug treatment to prevent further strokes. Stroke victims in Ballarat could be part of a clinical trial to test a new drug treatment to prevent further strokes.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/alexander.ford/c6b28b4a-3f86-49a9-8e92-6d2fa9be8fdd.jpg/r0_0_5472_3648_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Patients in Ballarat could be part of a clinical study to test a new treatment to improve the outcomes for people who suffer a stroke.
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Grampians Health consultant neurologist Associate Professor Dr Ramesh Sahathevan is the local principal investigator in a study to investigate the effectiveness and safety of a new anticoagulant drug given after a stroke.
This new anticoagulant will help prevent blood clots from forming, reducing the risk of further clots in patients which can induce another stroke.
"Clinical trials like this allow us to determine if new medications and intervention can be used to treat specific conditions," Dr Sahathevan said.
A stroke occurs in the brain as a result of an interruption in the flow of blood and nutrients with a blood clot, or following a bleed in the brain.
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If blood flow is not restored quickly, parts of the brain can be damaged or die, leaving patients with mild to severe, temporary to permanent disability including weakness, paralysis, speech difficulties and more. Where the clot occurs impacts how a person is impacted following stroke.
The study will test the new medication in people who have suffered a blood clot-related stroke, or a high-risk transient ischaemic attack (TIA).
"For patients it hopefully means better outcome and recovery. For medical practitioners it means we have more medications to treat patients," Dr Sahathevan said.
"The great thing about this trial is that it will result in a major shift in how we treat ischemic stroke."
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