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- October 2009
- Stress can cause strokes, study says
Stress can cause strokes, study says
2 October 2009: Long-term stress can cause a stroke, according to a new Swedish study published in the BMC Medicine Journal.
The scientists looked at 600 men and women admitted to hospital after having an ischaemic stroke. After being assessed and treated by a doctor specialising in stroke, each person was asked how stressed they had felt during the previous five years. The researchers defined stress as a prolonged feeling of tension, anxiousness, irritability or trouble sleeping.
Information was also collected about the person’s health (for example, blood pressure and cholesterol level), body measurements (waist to hip ratio to look whether they were overweight) and lifestyle factors (for example, whether or not they smoked and how much regular exercise they did). This information was gathered when they were first admitted to hospital and again three months later.
The researchers compared all of the collected information with a control group. The control group was made up of 600 randomly selected people from the same geographical area in Sweden, of the same age and the same sex who hadn’t had a stroke. This allowed the researchers to see which differences between the two groups were associated with the condition.
The scientists found that people who said they were under permanent psychological stress for the previous year or longer, were three times more likely to have a stroke than those who said they were not.
Unexpectedly, the researchers also found a difference in the types of ischaemic stroke people under prolonged stress had. These people were more likely to have an LVD stroke, SVD stroke or cryptogenic stroke, but not a CE stroke. However, the researchers said that because this study is a very early stage of research, further investigation needs to be carried out so we are able to understand the mechanisms at work.
“This is a very interesting study providing intriguing insights into stress as a potential risk factor for ischaemic stroke.” Dr Sneh Khemka, Bupa International’s medical director, said. “However, we still don’t know enough about how stress affects the body. This is further complicated by the fact that stress is a very subjective experience and affects each person differently. These issues may have unduly influenced the results in this study.
“We know long-term stress is not a good thing for your health, both physically and mentally. Try to reduce your stress levels as much as possible by taking regular exercise, sharing responsibilities at home and at work, and eating a healthy, balanced diet, rich in fruit and vegetables.”
Related topics
Key facts
A stroke is what happens when the normal flow of blood to a part of your brain is suddenly cut off. In an ischaemic stroke, the blood is usually blocked by a blood clot.
An estimated 150,000 people have a stroke in the UK each year. die each
There are four main types of ischaemic stroke:
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large vessel disease (LVD) stroke is when a blood clot forms in a main artery in your brain
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small vessel disease (SVD) stroke is a blockage in the small vessels deep in your brain
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cardioembolic (CE) stroke is when a blood clot or blockage from your heart travels via your bloodstream to your brain and causes a blockage in a blood vessel
- crypotogenic stroke is a stroke with no known cause
The UK department of health recommendations state that if you suspect someone is having a stroke, remember FAST to help you recognise the symptoms and take action.
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Facial weakness – has their face fallen on one side? Can they smile?
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Arm weakness – can they raise both arms?
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Speech problems – is their speech slurred?
- Time to call for emergency help
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