Head Injury Linked to Higher Stroke Risk

Those who had at least one head injury had a 34% higher stroke rate than their counterparts who had no head injuries, even if they had no prior history of the condition. Recent research from the Perelman School of Medicine published in Stroke indicates that the risk is much higher in persons who have experienced several head traumas.

“Head injuries increase the risk of stroke in individuals who may not have had one otherwise,” said the study’s first author Holly C. Elser, MD, Ph.D., a resident in the Department of Neurology. “This research adds to the growing list of conditions associated with head injury, and underscores the importance of preventing them through wearing bike helmets and seatbelts to minimize the long-term health risks.”

The long-term effects of brain injuries are still being studied, even though it is well known that TBI can cause short-term ailments like headaches, mental health issues, and memory and learning problems. According to recent studies, there are links between head injuries and death, dementia, late-onset epilepsy, and disability.

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This longitudinal analysis, conducted as part of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, examined 30 years of data from over 13,000 community-dwelling people (those who are not hospitalized or in assisted living facilities) to ascertain whether head injury affects the rates of stroke brought on by an ischemic stroke, which is a blood clot in the brain. Those who experienced a stroke before suffering a head injury were not included in the data set. 

Head injuries were either recognized by interviewee self-reporting or by using International Classification of Diseases codes. The severity of the head trauma varied, ranging from a minor concussion to a fractured skull.

Researchers did not find that the degree of head injury affected the likelihood of stroke later in life, even though those with numerous head injuries in the trial had much higher rates of ischemic stroke. Additionally, the scientists discovered a stronger correlation between head traumas and more severe strokes. 

“This research also illustrates the importance of early interventions to manage the risk of stroke specifically in individuals who previously suffered a head injury and don’t have a history of stroke,” said Elser. “For example, clinicians should counsel these individuals on healthy diet and exercise practices, which are proven to reduce stroke risk, as well as manage other risk factors with medication, including high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol.”

For more information: Head Injury and Risk of Incident Ischemic Stroke in Community-Dwelling Adults, Stroke, https://doi.org/10.1161/STROKEAHA.123.046443