This research underscores the importance of preventing strokes through wearing bike helmets and seatbelts in order to minimize the long-term health risks .
Individuals with History of Head Injury are More Likely to Have a Stroke Later in Life
This research underscores the importance of preventing strokes through wearing bike helmets and seatbelts in order to minimize the long-term health risks .
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The rate of stroke in individuals with no history of prior stroke , was 34 percent higher in individuals who experienced at least one head injury than in their peers with no head injury . The rate is even higher in those who had multiple head injuries , according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine published recently in Stroke .
“ Head injuries increase the risk of stroke in individuals who may not have had one otherwise ,” said the study ’ s first author Holly C . Elser , MD , PhD , a resident in the department of Neurology . “ This research adds to the growing list of conditions associated with head injury , and underscores the importance of preventing them through wearing bike helmets and seatbelts in order to minimize the long-term health risks .”
While it is well-understood that TBI can result in conditions in the short-term , such as memory and learning difficulties , mental health disorders , and headache , the longterm impacts of head injury are still emerging . Recent research has shown associations between head injury and disability , late-onset epilepsy , dementia , and death .
As part of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study , this longitudinal analysis evaluated 30 years of data from over 13,000 community-dwelling individuals ( those not hospitalized or living in nursing home facilities ) to determine if head injury has an impact on rates of stroke caused by a blood clot in the brain , called an ischemic stroke . Individuals who had a stroke prior to a head injury were excluded from the data set . Head injuries were identified either through International Classification of Diseases codes , or self-reported by individuals through interviews . The head injuries ranged from mild concussion to skull fracture and other severe head trauma .
Although individuals with multiple head injuries in the study had even higher rates of ischemic stroke , researchers did not find that the severity of head injury impacted the rate of stroke later in life . The authors also found that head injuries were more strongly associated with more severe stroke .
“ This research also illustrates the importance of early interventions to manage the risk of stroke specifically in individuals who previously suffered a head injury and don ’ t have a history of stroke ,” said Elser . “ For example , clinicians should counsel these individuals on healthy diet and exercise practices , which are proven to reduce stroke risk , as well as manage other risk factors with medication , including high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol .” g