Smokers are twice as likely as nonsmokers to have strokes, and when they do, the strokes occur almost a decade earlier than when nonsmokers have them, according to a Canadian study. Researchers at an Ottawa prevention clinic found the average age of stroke patients who smoked was 58, compared to age 67 for nonsmokers.
"The information from this study provides yet another important piece of evidence about the significance of helping people stop smoking," said Dr. Andrew Pipe of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, one of the study's authors. "It also alerts the neurology community to the importance of addressing smoking in stroke patients."
Smoking causes debris to build up on the inside of blood vessels, a condition called atherosclerosis, which contributes to a higher risk of clots forming. Researchers found that smoking doubles the risk of an ischemic stroke (caused by a dislodged blood clot) and four times the risk of a hemorrhagic stroke (caused by a ruptured blood vessel) when compared to nonsmokers.
In addition, smokers have a higher risk of recurrent strokes and a greater chance of complications. Those who have had minor strokes are 10 times more likely to have a major stroke if they continue to smoke, said Pipe, adding that it was "scandalous" for so many people to continue smoking when large numbers of people continue to die from smoking-related causes, such as stroke, heart disease, and cancer.
"Stroke is preventable," said Dr. Mike Sharma, Deputy Director of the Canadian Stroke Network. "This study highlights the sizeable role smoking has on stroke. Quitting smoking, controlling blood pressure, following a healthy diet and being physically active significantly reduce the risk of stroke."
According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 46.6 million American smoke, and each year, 443,000 die from smoking-related illnesses.
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