Two out of three stroke patients had undiagnosed elevated cholesterol.
According to a recent European research, the majority of persons who suffered an ischemic stroke had underlying health issues that had gone untreated in the past. The main risk factors for vascular stroke were high cholesterol, hypertension, and atrial fibrillation.
Undiagnosed stroke risk factors were more common in younger patients, those of non-Caucasian ethnicity, and women under 55 who were using contraception.This research has drawn appreciation from experts for demonstrating that many stroke risk factors may be avoided or treated. A stroke, often known as a brain attack, is one of the main causes of mortality, permanent disability, and brain damage.
Every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source, more than 795,000 Americans have a stroke. Ischemic strokes account for more than 4 out of 5 strokes. These occur when an obstruction, such as a blood clot, prevents blood and oxygen from reaching a specific area of the brain.
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The Centre Vaudois in Lausanne, Switzerland, conducted research that found at least one significant risk factor to be present in 67.7% of stroke patients. However, before their stroke, the patients' illnesses were never identified in them. At the 2022 European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress in Vienna, Austria, they presented their research results.
Common stroke risk factors
From 2003 to 2018, researchers examined 4,354 stroke patients' medical information from the Acute Stroke Registry and Analysis of Lausanne (ASTRALTrusted Source). 1,125 of these individuals had significant risk factors that had not yet been identified (UMRF).
Dyslipidemia, which was present in 61.4% of patients, was the main risk factor. High amounts of triglycerides or cholesterol define this disorder. The second most frequent risk factor, high blood pressure, afflicted 23.7% of the people in the study. A rapid and irregular heartbeat may result from atrial fibrillation, which 10.2 percent of the patients had.
Dr. André Rêgo, the study's primary author, listed eight more significant risk factors in an interview with Medical News Today: other cardiac conditions, including silent heart disease, diabetes, diet, obesity, stress, smoking, and alcohol.
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"So what we did was establish two groups: one with patients who were possibly unaware that they had the first five risk factors, and the other with patients who would be conscious of having at least one of these five. Dr. Rêgo emphasised that each group might have any number of the other five key risk factors.
Why can't factors be seen?
Due to their lack of interest in or adherence to preventative treatment, Dr. Rêgo and his colleagues concluded that many individuals fail to recognise UMRFs. The researchers hypothesised that a person's ability to pay could sometimes restrict their ability to see a doctor.
Additionally, certain risk indicators may go unnoticed, leading some individuals to believe everything is OK. People "may respond more to symptomatic health conditions," according to Dr. Rêgo's theory.
For example, the research discovered that individuals with lower body mass indices were more likely to be ignorant of their vascular risk factors prior to suffering a stroke. He guessed that they "had less awareness of being at danger" for these people.
MNT spoke with Derek Griffith, Ph.D., founder and co-director of the Racial Justice Institute and professor of health systems management and oncology at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., about some of these causes. He wasn't a part of this investigation.
According to Dr. Griffith, "Several males in our [focus] groups saw little benefit in visiting for preventative healthcare visits because they mistakenly believed that there was little sense in going as long as they felt great."
Equity in healthcare
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, many individuals put off receiving preventative medical treatment because of long-standing health disparities in the medical profession.When the Black males in Dr. Griffith's focus groups visited their doctors, he said that the medical professionals were "negative and rude."
The professor said that these experiences have reduced people's faith in medical professionals and their propensity to follow instructions and prescriptions.
Those who are more danger
Colleagues at the Centre Vaudois also observed that UMRF patients tended to be younger and non-Caucasian. Patients 55 and older who smoked and women under the age of 55 who used contraceptives were likewise more likely to have at least one UMRF. On the other hand, those who used blood thinners before to having a stroke were less likely to have an unrecognised risk factor for stroke. The similar pattern was seen by the researchers in individuals with greater body mass indices.
Solid statistics and proof
The Stroke and Neurovascular Center for Pacific Neuroscience Institute at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California, is directed by Jason Tarpley, MD, Ph.D., a stroke neurologist. He wasn't a part of this investigation.
This study, according to Dr. Tarpley, quantifies what he has seen anecdotally about individuals who had undetected stroke risk factors. It informs us that there are things we can do to avoid these strokes, which is what's most essential, he added. In fact, many of these strokes may be avoided.
The main risk factors for stroke, including dyslipidemia, hypertension, and atrial fibrillation, may all be treated, according to Dr. Tarpley. I mean, there's something you can do, he pleaded. You are not required to just wait and see. You can truly get your blood pressure and cholesterol tested. Obtain a blood thinner prescription from your doctor if you have atrial fibrillation.
According to Dr. Rêgo, there was little clinical knowledge on the frequency, patient profile, and stroke causes in patients with acute ischemic stroke who had substantial vascular risk factors that had not been previously identified. We anticipate that this research will assist in identifying possible stroke patients who in the future will need more intense preventative measures and monitoring.
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