The risk of stroke among older adults diagnosed with covid-19 is highest in the first three days of diagnosis, according to preliminary research from the American Stroke Association, to be presented at the 2022 International Stroke Conference in New Orleans, United States, from February 8-11.
“Stroke following diagnosis of covid-19 is a possible complication of it that patients and doctors should be aware of,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Quanhe Yang. “Vaccination and other preventive measures once morest covid-19 are important to reduce the risk of infection and complications, including stroke,” he explained.
In addition, previous studies have examined the risk of stroke among adults with covid-19; however, the results were inconsistent, with few focusing specifically on older adults, who are at increased risk of stroke.
Research
This study examined the ischemic stroke risk, which is a cerebrovascular accident due to blockage of a blood vessel, among older adults diagnosed with COVID-19 by examining the health records of 37,379 Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and older.
The patients were diagnosed with covid-19 between April 1, 2020 and February 28, 2021 and were hospitalized for stroke from January 1, 2019 to February 28, 2021. Stroke hospitalizations might occur before or following covid-19 diagnosishowever, those occurring 7 days before or 28 days following diagnosis served as the control period.
The participants had a average 80 years when they were diagnosed with covid-19, and 57% were women. The study compared the risk of stroke in the days immediately before and following the diagnosis of covid-19 with the risk during the other days of the study, or the control period.
Up to 10 times more risk
The analysis found that the highest risk of stroke occurred during the first three days following the diagnosis of covid-19, 10 times more than during the control period.
After the first three days, stroke risk decreased rapidly, although it was still higher compared to the control period. Specifically, between days 4 and 7, the risk of stroke was 60% higher, and between days 8 and 14, the risk of stroke was 44% higher compared to the control period. The lowest risk of stroke occurred between days 15 and 28, when the risk of stroke was 9% higher than during the control period.
One younger subgroup of participants, those of 65-74 years, had a higher risk of stroke following diagnosis of covid-19, compared to those aged 85 years or older, and among those without a history of stroke.
Related news
How do you have a stroke?
Stroke is a medical emergency that occurs when a blood vessel of the brain block or burst, preventing oxygen and nutrients from reaching the brain. It is one of the main causes of long-term disability. Prompt treatment is essential to prevent brain damage or death, so it is important to recognize the warning signs of stroke and take correct action.
