A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan Medical School has discovered that people who suffer traumatic brain injury may be more at risk of stroke. According to Dr. James Burke, who headed the study, traumatic brain injuries may contribute to strokes as much as high blood pressure.
According to Dr. Burke, about 20% of strokes occur in younger adults under the age of 65. For these younger adults, the return to work and regular life may be a long and daunting process. Early treatment is important for those who suffer a head injury in Homestead and other communities as well as for those who suffer a stroke. For stroke victims, when a treatment called tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is injected intravenously within the first hours after a stroke, the blood clot destroyer can break up blood clots associated with some strokes. Specifically, tPA can help victims who have suffered ischemic stroke, which account for about 87% of all stroke cases. Ischemic strokes involve a blood clot which blocks part of the blood flow to the brain.
According to Dr. Burke, understanding the link between traumatic brain injury and stroke risk can help scientists understand why some younger adults are affected by strokes – which may help prevent or treat these strokes in the future. According to Dr. Burke, traumatic brain injury may activate atherosclerotic plaques, which may increase the risk of a stroke.
Dr. Burke and his researchers examined 700,000 emergency room patients who were discharged in California between 2005 and 2009 and who suffered a trauma but no brain injury. In addition, 400,000 emergency room patients who had sustained a brain injury were examined. The average age of all these patients was 50. According to Dr. Burke, about 28 months after the initial emergency room treatment, about 1.1 percent of the patients had suffered an ischemic stroke. Among those patients who suffered a trauma but did not sustain a head injury, only 0.9% suffered an ischemic stroke within 28 months after their initial injury. Since the overall risk of stroke for people in this age group is very small, the 1.1% of people who suffered a stroke after a head injury may be significant. Researchers concluded that accounting for obesity, high cholesterol, heart disease, and other stroke risk factors, those with traumatic brain injury were 30% more likely to suffer from a stroke when compared with patients who had trauma but did not sustain any injuries to the brain.
Both Dr. Burke and other researchers have noted that additional research and studies need to be done before determining the risk of strokes for head injury patients. In the meantime, head injury patients in Homestead and other communities may wish to discuss with their doctors the possible long-term effects of their head injuries. Since head injuries are often caused by car accidents in Homestead, sports injuries, and other accidents, patients may wish to take extra steps to avoid head injuries by wearing helmets and by practicing safe driving techniques.
If you have suffered a head injury in Homestead or any Florida community, you may wish to consult with a personal injury attorney in Homestead or your city as well. If your head injury does lead to complications or additional injury, seeking compensation for your injuries can help you pay for the best medical care as well as for income replacement and other costs.
If you’re looking for a personal injury attorney in Homestead or in any South Florida community, contact the Flaxman Law Group to arrange for a free case evaluation. A member of the Flaxman Law Group legal team will be pleased to meet with you in one of the three convenient Flaxman Law Group offices or at your home, workplace, or hospital room.