In a new study, researchers found that car accidents may increase risks of heart failure and stroke in older people.
They found that older people who are in an automobile during a motor vehicle accident may have higher risks of heart failure and stroke.
These people have higher risks than pedestrians who are involved in motor vehicle accidents.
The research was conducted by a team from Boston University School of Medicine.
In the study, the team used U.S. hospitalization data from 2013 and 2014.
They compared older people who were occupants during a motor vehicle crash with people who were hit by a vehicle (pedestrians).
The researchers found that the risk of heart failure for occupants was increased during 30 and 180 days after a car accident and that the risk of stroke increased during the 180-day follow up period.
They suggest that injury, such as damage from auto accidents, may lead to a chronic disease, which may require further treatments.
There may be a pathway from injury to chronic diseases and future work needs to find out why people develop heart failure or stroke after being involved in a motor vehicle crash.
They hope the new finding may lead to more robust studies.
It may be important to screen older patients involved in motor vehicle crashes for heart failure and stroke, especially people who don’t have a history of these diseases.
The lead author of the study is Bindu Kalesan, Ph.D., MPH, assistant professor of medicine.
The study is published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
Copyright © 2019 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
