Stress and strokes: the twain do meet  Premium

Study links stress to increased stroke risk, emphasizing the importance of addressing modifiable risk factors and post-stroke rehabilitation.

There is a correlation between stress and stroke. A recent study published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, suggests that people experiencing chronic stress may have a higher risk of stroke. A Lancet study analysed data from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2021, highlighting a significant increase in stroke cases from 1990 to 2021, with various contributing risk factors, including stress, on the rise. 

The study shows that approximately 12 million new strokes occur each year, and one in four people above 25 years will have a stroke in their lifetime. Furthermore, almost 94 million people globally are living with the after-effects of stroke.  

Chronic stress can lead to hypertension, a major risk factor for ischemic strokes, caused by blocked blood vessels, and hemorrhagic strokes caused by bleeding in the brain due to a ruptured blood vessel. Also, stress often contributes to unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as increased consumption of alcohol, smoking, poor diet, and lack of exercise, which further elevate stroke risk. 

S. Karthikeyan, senior consultant, interventional neurologist at Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, acknowledges that while stress and strokes may not always have a direct link, extreme stress can elevate the risk. “There are studies, as well as my own clinical experience, that indicate stress can be a potential stroke trigger,” he says. 

According to the World Stroke Organization (WSO), mental health plays a significant role in stroke risk, and around one in six strokes is linked to depression and stress. Prabash Prabhakaran, head and senior consultant, neurology, at Apollo Speciality Hospitals, Chennai, points out how stress often indirectly increases the risk of strokes by affecting multiple physiological factors.  

“Stress exacerbates risk factors like hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol, which can eventually lead to a stroke,” he says. 

According to Nasiruddin G, consultant, internal medicine at Fortis Hospital, Bengaluru, stress-related hormonal changes increase blood pressure, disturb sleep, and raise cholesterol levels, further impacting heart health and brain function.