Strategy for stroke prevention recognised by award for A/Prof Anne Abbott

Associate Professor Anne Abbott

Congratulations to Associate Professor Anne Abbott on how well she did in the 2019 Bond University Sustainability of Healthcare Awards! A/Prof Abbott was finalist in all five award categories (Health Literacy, Practice, Research, Education and Policy), and won the Policy Award for her nominated project, "Reimbursement indications for carotid revascularization procedures".

A/Prof Abbott's research and translational work commenced and continues to drive a global paradigm shift away from risky, expensive procedures used to prevent stroke.

A/Prof Abbott’s seminal discovery was that medical intervention alone (lifestyle coaching and medication) is now best for stroke prevention associated with advanced (>50%) symptom-free narrowing of the carotid artery (main brain artery; see Abbott 2009, 604 cites and Abbott et al, 2017). This lesion is known as advanced asymptomatic carotid stenosis. It occurs in about 10% of people by their 8th decade and causes about 10% of strokes (Abbott et al, IJS, 2007).

A/Prof Abbott is a neurologist in the Department of Neuroscience at Monash University's Central Clinical School. She has been at the forefront of medical research regarding how to best prevent stroke, particularly associated with carotid arterial disease.