Erabaru.net. Losing your temper or exercising too hard could be a contributing factor to stroke, according to new research.
In a study published Wednesday (1/12) in the European Society of Cardiology’s ‘European Heart Journal’, an international team of researchers looked at more than 13,000 stroke patients in 32 countries as part of the INTERSTROKE study.
Using a “case-crossover approach”, the team determined whether triggers within one hour of symptom onset were associated with an acute stroke, versus the same time period the previous day.
“Stroke prevention is a priority for doctors, and despite progress, it is still difficult to predict when a stroke will occur. Many studies have focused on medium to long-term exposures, such as hypertension, obesity, or smoking. Our study aimed to look at acute exposures that could act as triggers,” said lead researcher and professor from the National University of Ireland Galway, Andrew Smyth in a statement.
This study analyzed patterns in patients suffering from ischemic stroke and less frequent intracerebral hemorrhage.
One in 11 survivors experiences a period of anger or irritation in the hour leading up to it, and the global INTERSTROKE study found that one in 20 patients had engaged in strenuous physical activity.
The paper, co-led by the National University of Ireland Galway, suggested that anger or emotional disturbance was associated with about a 30% increased risk of stroke during the hour after the episode – with a greater increase if the patient had not had a stroke. A history of depression and a greater likelihood for those with lower levels of education.
Strenuous physical activity was associated with about a 60% increased risk of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) — a rare form of stroke that causes bleeding in the brain — during the same period after strenuous activity, but not with all strokes or ischemic strokes.
There was a greater increase for women and less risk for those with a normal body mass index (BMI).
“Acute anger or emotional disturbance was associated with the onset of all strokes, ischemic stroke, and ICH, whereas acute strenuous physical activity was associated with ICH alone,” the authors wrote.
“The study also concluded that there was no improvement with exposure to anger triggers and strenuous physical activity,” Smythe said.
The study showed that there was no effect modifying by region, previous cardiovascular disease, risk factors, cardiovascular drugs, time or day of onset of symptoms.
“Compared to exposure to neither trigger during the control period, the likelihood of stroke associated with exposure to both triggers was not additive,” the study noted.
Co-author and consultant stroke physician Galway University Hospital dr. Michelle Canavan says people should practice mental and physical health at all ages, but adds that “it is also important for some people to avoid strenuous physical activity, especially if they are at high-cardiovascular risk, while also adopting a healthy lifestyle of regular exercise.
In the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that someone has a stroke every 40 seconds and someone dies of a stroke every four minutes.
Nearly 800,000 people in America have a stroke each year. About 87% of all strokes are ischemic strokes, in which blood flow to the brain is blocked.
“Some of the best ways to prevent stroke are to maintain a healthy lifestyle, treat high blood pressure and not smoke, but our study also shows other events such as episodes of anger or irritation or periods of strenuous physical activity independently increase stroke risk. short-term risk,” study co-leader and professor from the National University of Ireland Galway, Martin O’Donnell said.
“We would emphasize that brief episodes of strenuous physical activity are different from engaging in regular physical activity, which reduces the long-term risk of stroke,” he explains. (yn)
Source: nypost
–
