New Apps May Help Detect Seizures, Treat Strokes

Two new smart phone applications may help people detect epileptic seizures and get better stroke treatment, according to two new studies to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 2014 annual meeting. In the first study, an epilepsy app was designed to help non-doctors determine if a person is having an epileptic seizure. To create the app, researchers asked 67 people questions about their seizures. The most helpful questions/answers for predicting an epileptic seizure were then used to create the app, which was tested on 132 people in India and Nepal. The app was found to coincide with a doctor’s diagnosis in 96 percent of cases. In the second study, researchers created a stroke app, making it easier and more efficient for doctors to manage care for acute stroke patients. Those who treat acute stroke patients often need to accomplish many tasks at once, the app was written to help with quality improvement, ease communication, and screen for clinical trials. To read more about these studies, click here.