A changing climate may be linked to growing death and disability from stroke in regions around the world, according to a study published in the April 10, 2024, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
A changing climate may be linked to growing death and disability from stroke in regions around the world, according to a study published in the April 10, 2024, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Researchers found over three decades that non-optimal temperatures, those above or below temperatures associated with the lowest death rates, were increasingly linked to death and disability due to stroke. The study does not prove that climate change causes stroke. It only shows an association. The study also did not examine other risk factors such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels.
Researchers found that the majority of these strokes were due to lower than optimal temperatures, however they also found an increase in strokes tied to higher than optimal temperatures. With lower temperatures, a person’s blood vessels can constrict, increasing blood pressure. High blood pressure is a risk factor for stroke. Higher temperatures may cause dehydration, affecting cholesterol levels and resulting in slower blood flow, factors that can also lead to stroke.
“Dramatic temperature changes in recent years have affected human health and caused widespread concern,” said study author Quan Cheng, PhD, of Xiangya Hospital Central South University in Changsha, China. “Our study found that these changing temperatures may increase the burden of stroke worldwide, especially in older populations and areas with more health care disparities.”
For the study, researchers looked at 30 years of health records for more than 200 countries and territories. They examined the number of stroke deaths and burden of stroke-related disability due to non-optimal temperatures.
Read more at American Academy of Neurology
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