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The unit is considered or Social isolation A modifiable risk factor that can lead to poor brain and heart health. So science is looking into why this happens.
The writer, Isabel Gallardo Ponce, said in a report published by the Spanish magazine, “Quidate Plus,” that: stroke It is the second leading cause of death in Spain, the leading cause of acquired disability in adults and the second leading cause of dementia, according to data from the Spanish Society of Neurology. Between 110,000 and 120,000 people suffer a stroke in Spain each year.
Among the common risk factors for stroke, according to the Clinical Portal of the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, there are some that cannot be modified and others that we can take action on:
- Age: Starting at age 55, the risk of stroke doubles with each passing decade.
- High blood pressure.
- Diabetes.
- Lack of physical activity.
- Obesity.
- Tobacco consumption.
- High blood cholesterol levels.
- Alcohol, drug and other abuse.
- Gender: Men are more likely to have a stroke than women.
- Have heart disease.
- Family history.
The writer added that the best way to prevent stroke is to follow healthy habits by measuring blood pressure periodically, monitoring weight, reducing abdominal circumference, exercising, and following a balanced diet, in addition to avoiding smoking and alcohol.
These recommendations could help prevent 90% of strokes by addressing these risk factors.
Other modifiable factors for stroke
In addition to these risk factors, there are other factors that are not so classical but whose influence on the occurrence of stroke is gradually emerging.
In fact, it has been shown that loneliness and social isolation “can increase the risk of vascular diseases, not only at the brain level but also at the heart level. This is also the case with depression, which is often a cause or consequence of loneliness,” confirmed Dr. Consuelo Matute Lozano, a neurologist in the Stroke Unit at the Ramón y Cajal Hospital in Madrid.
Specifically, a Harvard study in Clinical Medicine suggests that chronic loneliness can significantly increase the risk of stroke. The authors note that more research is needed to understand why this is the case and whether trying to reduce loneliness could help prevent stroke.
Deterioration of brain and heart health
In the academic literature, some studies have suggested a link between isolation and poor brain and heart health. This is indicated by research published in 2022 in the Journal of the American Heart Association from the University of California, San Diego, which analyzed the impact of perceived and objective isolation on cardiovascular and brain health.
The researchers found that loneliness and social isolation were associated with a 30% increased risk of heart attack or stroke. In addition, loneliness and social isolation appear to be independent risk factors for poor cardiovascular and brain health.
What is the relationship between loneliness and stroke?
According to Mattotti, the link between loneliness and stroke may be due to biological and behavioral factors. “For example, on a biological level, someone who lives alone or is depressed may be exposed to more stress and have higher levels of cortisol in the blood. This can cause higher blood pressure levels, a weakened immune system (making us more susceptible to infections) and metabolic changes, such as insulin resistance, weight gain and fat accumulation.”
At the behavioral level, loneliness can make a person tend to neglect themselves, eat unhealthy food, be more prone to addiction, lead a sedentary life, or find it difficult to comply with treatments, “all of which increases the risk of vascular disease.”
How to recognize the symptoms of stroke?
According to specialists from the Spanish Society of Neurology, strokes usually appear suddenly and without warning. The most common symptoms are:
- A sudden change in the ability to speak, with difficulty speaking or understanding.
- Sudden loss of strength or sensation in part of the body. It usually affects one side of the body and is most noticeable in the face or limbs.
- A sudden change in vision, causing blurry vision, double vision, or the inability to see objects in some areas of our visual field.
- Sudden loss of coordination or balance.
- A headache that is very severe and different from the usual headache.
