Stroke Archive

Anger or emotional upset may be linked to an increased risk of stroke within an hour of experiencing those negative emotions.

Air pollution is an often overlooked yet important contributor to cardiovascular disease. Tiny particles known as PM_2.5 travel deep into the lungs, where they irritate receptors and trigger nerves involved in the autonomic nervous system. This irritation also contributes to inflammation, which accelerates atherosclerosis. Climate change can worsen the damaging effects of air pollution in several ways, such as by promoting wildfires and dust storms, which creates more PM_2.5. To reduce pollution's harmful effects, people can check air quality information and use portable indoor air cleaners when pollution levels are elevated.

Dietary fat can both help and hurt heart health, depending on the source. Eating adequate amounts of the "good" fats—monounsaturated and polyunsaturated—can help reduce cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure. "Bad" saturated fat found in many processed foods can have the opposite effect. Following heart-healthy diets like the Mediterranean and DASH diets and making small substitutions in daily eating habits can ensure people get the proper amounts of good fats.

People who sip several daily cups of both coffee and tea may be less likely to have a stroke than people who don't drink either beverage.

Stimulant medications, which are usually prescribed to treat attention deficit disorder in children, are being prescribed increasingly to older adults. These drugs may cause a short-term spike in the risk of heart-related problems, including heart attacks, strokes, and arrhythmias. Dietary supplements that promise weight loss or better physical or mental performance may contain prohibited, unlisted, and potentially dangerous stimulants.

A study published online Oct. 4, 2021, by the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that about 46,000 U.S. cancer cases per year can be attributed to getting less than 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.

A study published Nov. 16, 2021, in PLOS Medicine found that drinking two to three cups of coffee as well as two to three cups of tea per day was associated with substantially lower risks for dementia and stroke, compared with drinking no coffee or tea.

A study published online Aug. 26, 2021, by The Lancet found that blood pressure treatment protects against heart attacks, strokes, and other major cardiovascular disease problems in people up to age 85 and possibly older. For people younger than 75, the study confirmed that people taking blood pressure medicines had 10% to 20% fewer cardiovascular disease problems. For people 75 to 84, there still was a 10% reduction. For people older than 85, the results were mixed, but there still appeared to be a benefit from blood pressure treatment.

Exercise may help to reverse some types of heart damage. Not only can workouts prevent heart problems, but it may help to improve conditions that may raise risk for cardiovascular events. A 2021 study, for example, showed that a yearlong exercise program helped improve heart health in people who were at increased risk for heart failure.