Don’t ignore migraine. It can lead to strokes

Migraine can up stroke risk

People afflicted with migraine face an increased risk of stroke if they suffer from visual symptoms called auras, a US study suggests. Researchers from University of South Carolina, examined an ongoing 25-year-long study involving 12,844 adults in the age group of 45 to 64. They identified 817 participants who suffered a bleeding stroke, a condition where a clot in a blood vessel cuts off the blood flow to brain cells. They found that people who have migraine headaches with sightings of auras are 2.4 times more likely to suffer from stroke compared to migraine patients who don’t see auras. Auras are visual disturbances that precede the headaches. Read more here.

Half of the world at risk of near-sightedness

Half the world’s population will be affected by short-sightedness by 2050, an Australian research suggests. Researchers from the University of New South Wales Australia and Singapore Eye Research Institute believe changing lifestyle, reduction in outdoor activities, spending more time in front of electronic devices are some of the leading causes of it. “We also need to ensure our children receive a regular eye examination, every year, so that preventative strategies can be employed if they are at risk," said co-author Professor Kovin Naidoo. The study was published in the journal Ophthalmology.Read more here.

Obesity growing in people who are already obese

A British study on obesity has found that BMI (body mass index) is rising in people irrespective of gender and social groups but there has been a greater increase in BMI in those who already fall under overweight or obese category. Researchers from University of Liverpool examined an annual health survey which recorded the health information including height and weight for adults over 20 years in England. When the researchers looked at the figures for those participants in the top and bottom of the study they found a marked difference between the two. Those with higher BMI were gaining more weight. BMI is a widely used methodology for assessing a person’s weight and is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kg by height in metres squared. The study was published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. Read more here.

Delayed pregnancy can increase risk of heart attack and stroke

Women who delay pregnancy until they are 40 face a 2.4% to 3.8% higher risk of stroke and heart attacks, claims a British study. Researchers studied data on over 72,000 women out of which 3,300 were cases of delayed pregnancy. When they compared their rates of stroke, heart attack and cardiovascular death with women who were pregnant at a younger age they found that 0.4% of women who were pregnant at a younger age were at risk of ischemic stroke compared to 3.8% of women who got pregnant over the age of 40. The chance of having a heart attack was also higher in women who became pregnant over 40, from 2.5% to 3%. The study was presented at American Stroke Association’s international stroke conference in Los Angeles. Read more here.

Risk of complications after cancer surgery higher in elderly

Older adults undergoing cancer surgery are more likely to have complications after the surgery than someone younger, US study suggests. Oncologists at University of California examined hospital admission records of 940,000 adults aged 55 and above who underwent cancer surgery between 2009 and 2011. It was found that one in 10 adults aged 55 and above suffered from one post-operative issue such as delirium, dehydration, falls, fractures, pressure ulcers or unusual weight loss. Those who were in the age group of 65 to 74 years were 23% more likely to have complications, while the over-75 group had 66% higher risk of complications. The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Read more here.

Compiled by Abhijit Ahaskar