Dr. Alexander Merkler

A type of blood thinner may be more effective than aspirin at reducing the risk of recurrent stroke in a subset of stroke patients who experience problems with their hearts’ left ventricle, according to a new study led by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.

Weill Cornell Medicine has awarded eight grants of $100,000 each to faculty for a variety of research projects on COVID-19, funded by the institution’s Board of Overseers and additional donors. The grants will support studies aimed at understanding fundamental aspects of the disease, the body’s immune response and social determinants of health that affect COVID-19 outcomes. 

While heart attacks that cause classic symptoms such as pressure and pain in the chest are an established risk factor for stroke because they can lead to blood clot formation, new research by Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian investigators indicates that heart attacks that have few, if any, recognized symptoms may also increase risk.