|
 Based on previous studies, smoking seems to account for at least one
third of all cases of subarachnoid hemorrhage, and women suffer
bleeding in the brain almost twice as often as men, the authors
write in the journal Stroke.
“Our surprising finding was that the elevated risk in women was
explained by vulnerability to smoking,” lead author Dr. Joni
Valdemar Lindbohm of the Department of Public Health at the
University of Helsinki in Finland.
“Smoking may decrease estrogen levels and cause early menopause
which further lowers estrogen levels,” Lindbohm told Reuters Health
by email. “This decrease may cause vessel walls to degrade and make
them rupture prone.”
Subarachnoid hemorrhage becomes much more common for women after age
55, he noted.
In the study, even light smoking boosted hemorrhage risk
considerably (for both men and women), Lindbohm said, though it
decreased again after quitting smoking.
The researchers studied 65,000 people in a group that had filled out
lifestyle questionnaires every five years since 1972 and were
recruited in random samples from various areas in Finland. The
participants answered questions on alcohol consumption, history of
high blood pressure and high blood pressure medications, smoking and
socioeconomic status. Nurses measured their blood pressure, height,
weight and blood cholesterol.
The researchers tracked participants until the end of 2011. During
that time there were 492 subarachnoid hemorrhages, 266 of them among
women.
Smokers were more likely to suffer a hemorrhage, especially women.
Compared to nonsmokers, women who smoked more than 20 cigarettes per
day were eight times as likely to suffer a brain hemorrhage, and men
who smoked that much were almost three times as likely to suffer a
hemorrhage.
Former smokers had lower hemorrhage risk than current smokers.
[to top of second column] |
“The authors speculate that the stronger effects of smoking among
women would have to do with an interaction with female hormones,”
said Dr. Ale Algra, professor of Clinical Epidemiology of
Cerebrovascular Diseases at Utrecht Stroke Center in The
Netherlands. “However, I think that the truth is that we do not yet
really understand this observation.”
All smokers should try to quit smoking for a variety of health
reasons, Algra, who was not involved in the new study, told Reuters
Health by email.
“Approximately 20 percent of all subarachnoid hemorrhage patients
die suddenly away from hospitals and up to 45 percent of all
subarachnoid hemorrhage patients die,” Lindbohm said. “In addition,
most survivors suffer from a range of neurological and/or
psychological conditions.”
Female smokers should definitely try to stop smoking and treat their
high blood pressure aggressively, with the help of health care
providers when necessary, Lindbohm said.
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2aeXAdr Stroke, online July 21, 2016.
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
