High Impact Exercise Reduces Stroke Risk

[liveonearth]

www.medscape.com
From Medscape Medical News article by Allison Gandey
November 24, 2009

reg workouts protect vs ischemic stroke
intensity matters: high intensity quite protective
effect independent of the improvement exercise has on hypertension, diabetes, or dyslipidemia
ex: racket sports or swimming
Joshua Willey, MD, Columbia U. in NY
40.5% of study sample pts were physically inactive (this finding surprised researchers)
n = over 3000 people from the Northern Manhattan Study
20% report reg participation in mod-to-high-intensity activities
average age of the study sample was 69 years
participants followed ~ 9 years
238 strokes in that time
results in 11/24 issue of Neurology
other studies have found that even light exercise reduce stroke risk
Nurses' Health Study, Women's Health Initiative Observational Study, mild-intensity (walking) was beneficial but only in women ??
Neurology. 2009;73:1774-1779.

Comments

[neptunia67.livejournal.com]

Are strokes equally as common in men and women?

I sure am glad I became active. The benefits just keep stacking up. I can't imagine leading a sedentary life now.

Framingham study findings on gender and stroke

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

We observed 1136 incident strokes (638 in women) over 56 years of follow-up. Women were significantly (P<0.001) older (75.1 versus 71.1 years for men) at their first-ever stroke, had a higher stroke incidence above 85 years of age, lower at all other ages, and a higher lifetime risk of stroke at all ages. There was no significant difference in stroke subtype, stroke severity, and case fatality rates between genders. Women were significantly (P<0.01) more disabled before stroke and in the acute phase of stroke in dressing (59% versus 37%), grooming (57% versus 34%), and transfer from bed to chair (59% versus 35%). At 3 to 6 months poststroke women were more disabled, more likely to be single, and 3.5 times more likely to be institutionalized (P<0.01).

from: http://stroke.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/STROKEAHA.108.542894v1

The stats suggest to me that among couples, more men have the first stroke and the wives take care of them.