A new study has found that smoking, especially heavy smoking, is linked to unexplained strokes in younger adults. The research, published in Neurology Open Access, shows that male smokers and people aged 45 to 49 are at the highest risk.
What Are Unexplained Strokes?
A stroke happens when blood flow to the brain is blocked, leading to symptoms like weakness, trouble speaking, and vision problems. Strokes can be fatal, and they are most common in people over 65. However, some strokes occur in younger adults with no clear cause. These are called cryptogenic strokes, meaning doctors don’t know what caused the blockage.
Recent studies have shown a rise in unexplained strokes in people under 50, making it important to understand possible risk factors. While smoking has long been known to increase the risk of stroke, its impact on unexplained strokes in younger people has not been well studied.
The Study and Its Findings
Researchers from Keele University in the UK analyzed 546 people aged 18 to 49 who had an unexplained stroke. They were compared to another 546 people of the same age and sex who had never had a stroke. Participants answered questions about their lifestyle, including smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, and health conditions.
The results showed a strong link between smoking and unexplained strokes:
- Smokers were more than twice as likely to have an unexplained stroke as non-smokers.
- 33% of stroke patients were smokers, compared to just 15% of people who had not had a stroke.
- Men who smoked had more than three times the risk of an unexplained stroke compared to non-smokers.
- People aged 45 to 49 had nearly four times the risk of an unexplained stroke if they smoked.
Heavy Smoking Increases the Risk Even More
The researchers also looked at smoking intensity, or how much a person smoked. They found that the risk of unexplained stroke was highest among heavy smokers.
- People who smoked more than 20 packs a year had over four times the risk of an unexplained stroke compared to non-smokers.
- Male heavy smokers had nearly seven times the risk of an unexplained stroke.
- Heavy smokers aged 45 to 49 had nearly five times the risk compared to non-smokers.
Why This Matters
The study suggests that smoking could be a major reason for the increase in unexplained strokes in younger people. Phillip Ferdinand, the lead researcher, emphasized that public health efforts to prevent smoking—especially heavy smoking—could help reduce the number of strokes in young adults.
While the study provides strong evidence of a link between smoking and unexplained strokes, it does have some limitations. Most of the participants were of white European backgrounds, so the results may not apply to people from other racial or ethnic groups. More research is needed to confirm these findings in a wider population.
Takeaway
This study adds to the growing evidence that smoking is a serious risk factor for stroke, even in younger adults. It also highlights the dangers of heavy smoking, which can multiply the risk several times over. Stopping smoking could be a key way to reduce the risk of unexplained strokes and protect brain health at any age.
If you care about stroke, please read studies that diets high in flavonoids could help reduce stroke risk, and MIND diet could slow down cognitive decline after stroke.
For more health information, please see recent studies about antioxidants that could help reduce the risk of dementia, and tea and coffee may help lower your risk of stroke, dementia.
The research findings can be found in Neurology Open Access.
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