A recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Galway in Ireland revealed the factors that increase the severity of a stroke if it occurs. The study, which was published in the Journal of Neuroscience, showed that people who suffer from some health problems such as high blood pressure, or an irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation). ), or smokers, not only have a higher risk of stroke, but they may also have more severe strokes than people without these factors.
stroke
A stroke occurs when blood supply to part of the brain stops or decreases significantly, cutting off its supply of oxygen and nutrients, and within minutes brain cells begin to die. Because brain cells do not regenerate, this may lead to permanent brain damage.
There are 3 types of strokes: First: ischemic stroke, which results from interruption of blood supply to the brain as a result of blockage of one of the arteries leading to it. Second: Hemorrhagic stroke occurs due to bleeding in one of the cerebral vessels. Third: Transient ischemic stroke, which is a type of temporary stroke that occurs as a result of a temporary interruption or decrease in the brain’s blood supply. It lasts at least 5 minutes, after which the blood supply returns to normal.
“A stroke can lead to disability or even death,” said study author Catriona Redden, MD, PhD, at the University of Galway in Ireland and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. “However, there are a number of risk factors that people can control with lifestyle changes or The medicine, according to the Eurek Alert website.
She added, “Our results underscore the importance of managing stroke risk factors, especially high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, and smoking, in order to prevent severe, life-limiting stroke.”
Risk factor analysis
The study included more than 26,000 people from 32 countries with an average age of 62 years. Of this group, half of the people had a stroke, and the other half were people who did not have a stroke.
Among those who had a stroke, 4,848 people had a severe stroke and 8,612 people had a mild to moderate stroke. A severe stroke was defined as a stroke whose results ranged from the inability to walk or care for oneself without assistance, to the need for continuous nursing care until death. Mild to moderate stroke was defined as having outcomes ranging from no symptoms to the need for some assistance with personal care, while remaining able to walk without the assistance of another person.
The researchers compared the importance of risk factors for severe stroke and mild to moderate stroke in people who had not had a stroke, and the researchers also compared the importance of risk factors in people with stroke only.
Factors that increase the risk and severity of strokes
Researchers revealed that risk factors that increase the likelihood of stroke are:
- Blood pressure must be higher than 140/90 mm Hg.
- Atrial fibrillation.
- diabetes.
- High cholesterol.
- Smoking.
- Diet quality.
- Physical inactivity.
- Psychological and social stress.
- Increased body fat around the waist.
“Our results underscore the importance of controlling high blood pressure, the most important modifiable risk factor for stroke globally,” Reddin said. “This is particularly important for low- and middle-income countries that have rapidly increasing rates of high blood pressure.” And strokes at a younger age.”