The culprit is surprising.
A recent study suggests that the erratic weather patterns triggered by climate change may be contributing to a rise in stroke-related deaths.
Published in the journal Neurology on April 10, researchers reveal that extreme cold spells and scorching heatwaves are linked to over half a million fatalities annually in recent years.
Lead researcher Quan Cheng, from Xiangya Hospital at Central South University in Changsha, China, highlights the concerning impact of dramatic temperature shifts on human health. These changes, he notes, could escalate the global burden of stroke, especially among older demographics and regions with existing healthcare disparities.
The study emphasizes that bone-chilling cold fronts, in particular, are associated with an increased incidence of strokes. However, both excessively high and low temperatures elevate the risk of stroke due to distinct physiological mechanisms.
When temperatures plummet, blood vessels constrict, leading to elevated blood pressure—a primary risk factor for stroke. Conversely, soaring temperatures can induce dehydration, thickening and slowing blood flow, also contributing to stroke risk.
Notably, stroke-related deaths in the United States surged by 26% between 2011 and 2021, as reported by the American Heart Association. The researchers suggest that a portion of this increase may be attributable to climate change.
Examining health data spanning three decades across more than 200 countries and territories, the research team correlated stroke fatalities with local temperature variations. They estimate that in 2019 alone, over 521,000 stroke deaths were linked to extreme temperature fluctuations.
Of these, more than 474,000 deaths were associated with cold fronts. This constitutes a significant proportion of the 6.6 million global stroke-related deaths reported by the American Heart Association for the same year.
The study further reveals that the stroke death rate attributed to temperature fluctuations was 7.7 deaths per 100,000 men and 5.9 deaths per 100,000 women. Central Asia emerged as the region with the highest temperature-related stroke death rate, reaching 18 deaths per 100,000 individuals.
Cheng underscores the urgency for additional research to fully comprehend the impact of temperature changes on stroke incidence and to develop targeted interventions to address healthcare disparities. He advocates for future studies aimed at mitigating this threat through effective health policies targeting the root causes of climate change, such as the reduction of fossil fuel consumption, deforestation, and industrial emissions.
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