Battling stroke by fighting salt: the Portuguese strategy

Portugal has one of the highest mortality rates due to stroke in Western Europe and this has been attributed to the high salt intake of the population. Many Portuguese traditional food - including the salted fish delicacy bacalhau (salted cod) - contains high amounts of sodium chloride. However, even the normal daily fare such as bread also contains a lot of salt. The result is that the Portuguese population, take in, on the average, twice the amount of the recommended daily salt intake. -the stroke rate there is twice that of coronary disease.

A group of health led by Dr. Luis Martin of the Fernando Pessoa University formed the Portuguese Action Against Salt and Hypertension (PAASH) and conducted studies on Portuguese salt consumption habits and the health consequences. The results show that:

• An adult consumes on average 11.9 g of sodium per day, two times the recommended daily intake.
• Portuguese bread contains an average of 19.2 g of sodium per kg, which is 53% more than what is found in bread in other European countries. This highly contributes (21%) to the daily sodium intake.
• The amount of salt by consumed by the population correlated with blood pressure and aortic stiffness.
• In 2007, only 29% of the Portuguese population was aware of the health risks of excessive salt consumption

The PAASH advocates saw an immediate need for action to increase awareness and reduce salt consumption. They estimated that “a reduction of just 1 g per day of salt intake would save almost 2500 lives per year in Portugal, which has a population of around 10 million.”

Dr. Martin then started a massive awareness campaign in print and web media, as well as on on radio and TV. They persuaded politicians and well-known celebrities, including star football players and children’s cartoon characters, to help spread the word about the health risks of salt.

Dr. Martin explains the success of

“If they want to influence the people, they must act like politicians. And to get the attention of the politicians, we needed the media. Without the media in Portugal, it’s not possible.”

It seems that the campaign is starting to bear fruit.

• A recent survey showed that awareness has increased up to 75% of the population.
• They persuaded the Portuguese Bakery Association to cooperate by coming up with a recipe that provides for lower salt content without losing taste or quality.
• They lobbied with legislators, resulting in the passing of a law by the Portuguese Parliament that requires food labels to show salt content of food products as well as and limits the sodium content in processed foods to a maximum of 14 g/kg.

With these results, the Portuguese has set a good example to the rest of Europe and the world that health awareness campaigns do work.

Photo credit: stock.xchng

               

Resource post for May: Stroke awareness revisited

May is American Stroke Month

It is the month when we should examine what we know about stroke, its symptoms, the risk factors, how it can be managed, and how it can be prevented. At the forefront of this month-long awareness campaign are the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Stroke Association (ASA).

Stroke: facts and figures

According to the AHA:

Stroke is the third highest cause of mortality after heart disease and cancer.

• 143,579 died of stroke in the US in 2005. Females accounted for 60.6% of these.
• Stroke is the leading cause of long-term disability in the US.
• About 6,500,000 stroke survivors are alive today; 2,600,000 are males and 3,900,000 are females.
• …about 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year. About 600,000 of these are first attacks and 180,000 are recurrent attacks.
• From 1995 to 2005 the death rate from stroke declined 29.7 percent, and the actual number of stroke deaths declined 13.5 percent.
• The 2005 death rates per 100,000 population for stroke were 44.7 for white males and 70.5 for black males, and 44.0 for white females and 60.7 for black females. 
• On average, a stroke occurs every 40 seconds in the US.
• Ischemic stroke (clots) accounts for 87% of all stroke cases, 10% are intracerebral hemorrhage, and 3% are subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Stroke: symptoms

Many people do not recognize the signs when they are having a stroke, according to research studies. This causes delay in treatment of a condition that is time-sensitive. The warning signs of stroke according to the AHA and ASA are (check also the video clip):

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

Stroke: reducing your risks

The best strategy of preventing stroke is reducing the risks that can be reduced. But first we need to know the risk factors.

The risks that you cannot change are

• Age. The likelihood of having a stroke increases with age. Previous studies suggest that stroke risk doubles starting age at the age of 55. Finnish researchers report that stroke risk increases dramatically in men starting at age 44.
• Genetics. Family history and ethnicity predisposes a person to stroke. African American have higher predisposition to stroke than any other ethnic group in the US. The genetic disease sickle cell anemia which is very common among African-American and Hispanic children is a major risk factor for stroke.
• Gender. Men seem to be more susceptible to stroke than women but women suffer higher mortality rates from stroke.

But here are the risks that you can do something about:

• High blood pressure. Hypertension is the most important controllable risk factor for stroke. Many people believe the effective treatment of high blood pressure is a key reason for the accelerated decline in the death rates for stroke.
• Cigarette smoking. Although cigarette smoking is usually associated with lung cancer, it is actually an important risk factor for stroke. And the damage is not only restricted to the smoker. Second hand or passive smoking has also been linked to cardiovascular damage that can lead to stroke.
• Obesity/excess weight. Obesity is another major controllable factor for stroke.
• High cholesterol levels. People with high blood cholesterol have an increased risk for stroke. High levels of LDL “bad” cholesterol and low levels of HDL “good” cholesterol are risk factors.
• Birth control pills. The use of oral contraceptives by women has been linked to cardiovascular damage. When this factor is combined with smoking, the risk for having a stroke increases drastically.
• Diabetes. Diabetes is an independent risk factor for stroke. However, it is also associated with other risk factors such high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol levels and obesity.
• Poor nutrition. Diet is a major but easily controllable risk factor for stroke and other related cardiovascular disease. “Diets rich in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol can raise blood cholesterol levels. Diets high in sodium (salt) can contribute to increased blood pressure. Diets with excess calories can contribute to obesity.” On the other hand, a daily diet containing five or more servings of fruits and vegetables - the so-called DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet may reduce the risk of stroke.
• Physical inactivity. A sedentary lifestyle is not only a risk factor for stroke, it is a risk factor for other related problems, e.g. hypertension, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, and heart disease. The AHA and ASA recommend a minimum of least 30 minutes of physical activity each day. The more, the better.
• Other underlying conditions such as arterial diseases (e.g. carotid artery disease, peripheral artery disease) and heart disorders (e.g. coronary heart disease, atrial fibrillation, cardiomyopathy, congenital heart defects) also increase the risks of having a stroke.
• Geographic location. States in the southeastern United States have higher incidences of stroke than the rest of the country, earning the title the “stroke belt.” However, this is a risk factor that is neither well-understood nor well-documented.
• Socioeconomic factors. Studies suggest that stroke incidence is higher among low-income people than among more affluent people.
• Alcohol consumption. Although alcohol is said to have some cardiovascular benefits, excessive alcohol consumption has been associated to health problems including stroke and hypertension. Women also especially more susceptible to the adverse effects of alcohol than men.
• Illegal drugs. Illegal drugs such as cocaine, amphetamines and heroin, have been associated with an increased risk of stroke.

Stroke: treatment and management

Some of the treatment options for ischemic stroke are:

• Thrombolytic (clot-busting) drugs. The most commonly used drug in the emergency treatment of stroke is an intravenous injection of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). tPA, however, is a time-sensitive medication that needs to be administered within 3 hours of symptom onset.
• Anti-coagulants or blood thinners. These drugs are prescribed after a stroke to reduce the chances of new blood clots forming.
• Anti-platelet drugs. These drugs are also used to prevent blood clots and can be used in stroke prevention strategy.
• Surgery and stents. Several surgical interventions can be done to prevent and manage stroke. A blocked or narrowed carotid artery can be opened by surgery to remove plaques. Stents can be inserted into the blood vessels to keep them open.
• Experimental treatments. New stroke treatments are currently being tested, including stem cell therapy and experimental neuroprotective medications.

Stroke resources:

• Heart and Stroke Statistics 2009
• Stroke Connection Magazine
• Caregiver brochure
• Power to End Stroke

 Photo credit: stock xchng

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjPPm_M_nPg

               

In the making: stem cell therapy for stroke victims

According to the American Stroke Association, about one American suffers from a stroke every 40 seconds. On average, stroke kills one person every three to four minutes.

In March of this year, researchers at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston enrolled the first patient in a Phase I safety trial to test stem cell therapy in stroke patients. Usually, in Phase I trials, healthy volunteers are enrolled to assess the safety of a drug or a therapy. In this case, the participant is a stroke patient. The 61-year old stroke survivor arrived at the hospital more than 3 hours after the onset of the symptoms, thus making him ineligible to be treated with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). According to the American Heart Association, tPA is a thrombolytic agent (clot-busting drug). It is approved for use in certain patients having a heart attack or stroke. The drug can dissolve blood clots, which cause most heart attacks and strokes. tPA is the only drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the acute (urgent) treatment of ischemic stroke. However, tPA is a time-sensitive treatment that can only be effective when administered within 3 hours of symptom onset. Stem cell therapy might be a less time-sensitive alternative to tPA.

Here is how the stem cell therapy works:

Stem cells were harvested from the bone marrow in the iliac crest of the patient’s leg. The purified cells were then administered intravenously back to the patient several hours later. Because they were his own stem cells, the problem of rejection is very unlikely to occur.

The Phase I safety trial, funded with a pilot grant from The National Institutes of Health and support from the Notsew Orm Sands Foundation, will enroll nine more patients who have suffered a stroke and can be treated with the stem cell procedure within 24 to 72 hours of initial symptoms.

Research using lab animals has shown that stem cells given after a stroke enhance healing of the damage brain. Stem cells seem to have some kind of “guidance system” to find their way to the area of injury. Stem cells promote healing, not by creating new brain cells, but by helping the repair processes and reducing inflammatory damage. Animal research showed that the effects of the therapy can be observable within a week.

So far, the patient has been making a lot of progress. However, it is too early to tell whether the improvement can be attributed to stem cell therapy or some other factors. The long-term effects of the therapy also needs to be investigated

According to lead researcher Dr. Sean Savitz,

“It’s still very early in this safety study, but this could be an exciting new therapeutic approach for people who have just suffered a stroke.”

 

Photo credit: stock. xchng

               

Preventing a second stroke: are you doing enough?

Stroke is a preventable illness. But still millions of people suffer from stroke each year. Much more, many cases of strokes are not the first time but the second, maybe even then third. Now, the question is, does having had a first stroke make the patient and his or her healthcare provider more aware of the risks, thus more ready to take preventive measures? Does “forewarned is forarmed” apply here?

Researchers at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City report that although many services to avert a second stroke are available, not many patients avail of them. In fact, only about 50 to 70% of these facilities are generally used.

According to lead author Dr. Joseph S. Ross

“Alarmingly high numbers of adults did not receive stroke prevention services. Most usage rates for prevention services were between 50 percent and 70 percent. That’s a lot of people not getting recommended care.”

The study participants included 11,862 adults at least18 years old who have had a stroke. 54% of the participants were women. The services offered for secondary prevention are as follows:

• reduction of vascular risk, which includes taking preventive medications such as aspirin, and doing regular exercise
• annual testing for cholesterol testing
• management of high blood pressure;
• management of diabetes
• prevention of infectious disease

The key findings of the study are:

31% of patients received outpatient rehabilitation services;

52% reported influenza vaccination and 53 percent received pneumococcal vaccination;

57% percent exercised regularly;

77% percent used aspirin regularly;

66% percent received counseling to quit smoking;

62% percent with high blood pressure received low-fat diet counseling;

91% percent with high blood pressure reported currently taking hypertensive medication; and

89% percent of those with diabetes reported having annual glycosylated hemoglobin measurements for diabetes management. This measures the amount of sugar attached to the hemoglobin in red blood cells and shows the average blood sugar for several months before and can help regulate diabetic behavior.

There were no disparities in secondary stroke care in relation to gender, ethnicity, age or geographic residence.

The reasons behind the suboptimal use of secondary preventive care among stroke victims are not very clear. However, there is clearly a need for health care providers to focus on improving care for all stroke patients regardless of age, race or gender to uplift the level of care, thereby avert a subsequent stroke.

Photo credit: stock.xchng

               

Traffic exposure can trigger a heart attack

We are exposed to traffic everyday, whether as a commuter or as a driver. Some of us are even exposed as part of our jobs, e.g. as traffic policemen, bus drivers, tec. This post explores the link between traffic exposure and cardiovascular health.

Previous studies have shown that heart attacks may be triggered by strenuous activities. This recent study by German researchers suggest that exposure to traffic can have some serious consequences on people’s heart health. The researchers looked at time spent on any form of traffic exposure by using some form of transport, be it by car, by public transport, or by bicycle and its triggering effect on heart attacks. However, driving a car was the most common source of traffic exposure among the 1,454 study participants. The results of the study indicate that people exposed to any form traffic exposure have a 3.2 times higher risk of having a heart attack than those without exposure. For those exposed, there is a small but significant increase in the likelihood that a heart attack can occur with 6 hours of exposure. Those who were especially at risk were

• women
• elderly men
• people who are unemployed
• people who have a history of angina pectoris (chest pains)

According to lead author Dr. Annette Peters

“Driving or riding in heavy traffic poses an additional risk of eliciting a heart attack in persons already at elevated risk. In this study, underlying vulnerable coronary artery disease increased the risk of having a heart attack after driving in traffic… one potential factor could be the exhaust and air pollution coming from other cars. But we can’t exclude the synergy between stress and air pollution that could tip the balance.”

This isn’t the first study to find a link between cardiovascular disorder and air pollution. British and Swedish researchers found that diesel exhaust increased the rate of blood clot formation as well as blood platelet activity even in healthy people - leading to increased risk of having heart attack and stroke. The increased cardiac event risk due to traffic pollution is evident even when fine particulate matter concentrations are considered low or safe.

In a previous resource post, I have reviewed the most recent medical evidence that linked air pollution to cardiac events. In one study, it was shown that fine particulate matter can interfere with the heart’s electrical functioning.

In the same way, stress can be a triggering factor towards a cardiac event. In a previous post, I discussed about the effect of stress on driving and vice versa.

We all need some form of transport to get somewhere and many of us are on the move to get to our jobs 5 days a week. What would be interesting to find out is a risk comparison between drivers and public transport commuters, e.g. which form of traffic exposure has the least adverse effect on our cardiovascular health.

Phot credit: stock.xchng

               

The power to predict a heart attack may be right at your fingertips

Could it be that predicting a cardiac event is as easy as raising a finger? Researchers at the Mayo Clinic have studied and seemed be quite satisfied with a test that is simple and noninvasive but is still “highly predictive” of a major cardiac event, such as a heart attack or stroke, for people who are considered at low or moderate risk.

The EndoPAT I a noninvasive finger sensor test device which measures the health status of endothelial cells that line the walls of the blood vessels and regulate blood flow. When endothelial cells are unhealthy, a condition called endothelial dysfunction occurs and can mark the start of atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries, which in turn lead to cardiovascular disorders. The finger device measures blood flow which is indicative of endothelial function.

During the testing process

“…researchers at Mayo Clinic and Tufts-New England Medical Center in Boston used the device to test 270 patients between the ages of 42 and 66 and followed their progress from August 1999 to August 2007. These patients already knew that they had low-to-medium risk of experiencing a major heart event, based on their Framingham Risk Score. The score is the commonly used risk predictor and was developed from the Framingham Heart Study, a longitudinal study of heart disease.”

The study results showed that 49% of patients who had poor endothelial function as measured by EndoPAT had a major cardiovascular event (e.g. heart attack or stroke) during the 7-year follow up.

The EndoPAT is a product of Itamar Medical. I was approved by the US FDA for diagnostic use in 2003. It consists of a digital recording equipment plus two probes attached to the fingers like large thimbles. During the test, one probe is placed on each index finger and attached to a small blood-flow measuring machine. In parallel, a cuff, the kind that is used during blood pressure reading is placed around one arm. The cuff is inflated, then deflated “to occlude and then release blood flow to assess reactive hyperemia (RH), the normal blood flow response that occurs when occlusion is released.” Three timed readings are performed during the 15-minute test and the results are expressed in RH scores. A low RH score indicates low blood flow response, endothelial dysfunction and impaired vascular health.

This positive news about EndoPA is very welcome because cardiovascular health problems, most of which are preventable, have become a major global health concern. Millions of people suffer from heart attack and stroke each year, sometimes without any warning. Indeed, a predictive but still non-invasive instrument such as EndoPAT can help doctors and patients plan a preventive strategy to battle heart and stroke.

               

Stroke begins at 44 and beyond

The 40s. It’s when life is really supposed to start. It’s also when people get into the so-called midlife crisis.

A recent Finnish study also suggests that the 40s is the age when we have to take care of our cardiovascular health because the rates of ischemic stroke increase dramatically beyond our 44^th year of life. And most especially if you are male. The Finnish study looked at 1,008 ischemic stroke patients aged 15 to 49 years old. Here are some of the figures the researchers found:

• a high frequency of stroke risk factors in young patients;
• a high percentage of “silent” and multiple strokes;
• the pattern of stroke-causing events begins changing in midlife to resemble that of the elderly.

The researchers looked at stroke incidence in different age groups and found that stroke under the age of 30 occurs more often in women. The incidence of stroke increases with age and by the age of 44, the incidence is almost equal between men and women. After this point, a sharp increase in first stroke incidence in males was observed.

Most of the risk factors observed were lifestyle related and modifiable, and the most frequent are:

• dyslipidemia (60%)
• smoking (44%)
• hypertension (39%)

In addition, less frequent risk factors but nevertheless potentially dangerous were observed such as heavy alcohol consumption, which is common among men, migraine among women, use of illicit drugs among younger patients.

What surprised the researchers are the high number of silent as well as multiple ischemic strokes occurring, sometimes with the patient being aware of them.

Other key findings are:

• The average annual stroke rate for all patients was 13.3 per 100,000 people for males and 7.8 per 100,000 for females. Among patients ages 15-44, the annual rate was 7.5 for males and 5.7 for females.
• Traditional stroke risk factors - high cholesterol, smoking, hypertension and obesity - were more common among males and those older than 44. Heavy drinking was more often found in males, and migraine headaches were more common in females as a risk factor. Illicit drug use and migraines were more frequent among younger patients.
• The leading causes of strokes were caused by a cardiac source (19.6 percent) and artery dissections (15.4 percent). Artery dissections are small tears in an artery’s inner lining that allow blood to seep underneath, push out the vessel wall, and narrow or block the artery.
• Multiple strokes had occurred in 23 percent of the patients, and silent strokes occurred in 13 percent of the patients.

As I approach that stage called midlife, I am very aware of the health problems that come with it and stroke is just one of them. The American Stroke Association gives a comprehensive patient-friendly overview of stroke and how we can prevent it.

               

Inequalities in stroke treatment: health insurance coverage does matter

All people are created equal. So why don’t people get equal treatment when it comes to stroke? Does it have something to do with health insurance coverage?

Ischemic stroke occurs when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel supplying blood to the train. The cutting off of the blood supply (and therefore oxygen) of the brain can lead to death of brain cells which can in turn cause permanent damage. Ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke and is a major cause of disability.

The state of the art in the treatment of ischemic stroke is the tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). tPA is a thrombolytic or clot-busting agent and is the only drug of its kind which has been approved by the US FDA for the emergency treatment of acute ischemic stroke. It is also a time-critical type of treatment and should be given within 3 hours after the onset of stroke symptoms to be effective. Recent studies even suggest that tPA can still reverse the neurological effects of stroke and prevent death and disability when given up to 4.5 hours after the onset of stroke.

However, a recent study funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that “between July 1, 2005 and June 30, 2007, the tPA treatment national average was 2.4 percent of all ischemic stroke patients in the Medicare database.” Reports of rates of tPA administration in hospitals all over the US range from 0 to 24%. The rate of 2.4% among Medicare patients is seemingly low. In addition, 64% of all hospitals in the US did not administer clot busters to Medicare stroke patients during this time period.

According to a Dr. Lee Schwamm, an associated professor of Neurology at Harvard University

“This study sheds important light on a major disparity in acute stroke care delivery…Individuals and agencies responsible for the equitable distribution of healthcare resources need to examine these and other data to identify strategies that will provide adequate acute stroke care to all their citizens.”

There are of course other factors to consider, including the size of the hospitals in question, as well as their geographical location. A previous study on emergency care of stroke victims also found that the following factors can make a difference in the kind of treatment received:

• the type of hospital (does it have a Primary Stroke Center?)
• the manner of patient arrival/delivery (walk in vs. ambulance delivery)
• gender (men get treated faster!)

The issue of health insurance coverage is a major issue in the US.  Read more about the “crisis of the uninsured” in a previous post.

               

Brush up on your stroke awareness

Is your stroke awareness up to scratch?

Those who have it, don’t know they have it. I am referring to the high risk for stroke and people’s awareness. And that is exactly what one of the papers presented at American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2009 found out.

The researchers used data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) 2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), the world’s largest ongoing telephone health survey. Since 1984, the BRFSS has been tracking health information of Americans. The data analyzed included responses from 86,573 adults from 11 states, as well as the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands. The survey also included answering five questions specific for stroke, mainly on symptoms and actions during stroke (e.g. call 9-1-1).

The five most common warning signs of stroke are

• sudden weakness in the face, arm or leg, particularly if the weakness occurs on only one side of the body
• sudden severe headache
• sudden vision disturbance in one or both eyes;
• sudden confusion or difficulty speaking; and/or
• sudden dizziness, loss of balance, loss of coordination or difficulty walking.

The results of the survey were a bit disappointing and some key points are summarized below:

• 93% of those asked knew a couple of the obvious symptoms especially the numbness.
• 59% of those surveyed didn’t recognize the less obvious symptoms such as a severe headache.
• Only 37% of those surveyed recognized all five warning signs of stroke as listed above.

What is surprising is that some people who have had stroke have less stroke awareness than others who haven’t had one!

When looking at the data more closely, the researchers found that certain demographic factors play a role in stroke awareness.

Ethnicity: Whites have better stroke awareness (40%) compared to blacks (31%) and Hispanics (21%).

Education attainment: 46% of those with a college education knew more about stroke vs. 19% of those with high school level education.

Income: 45% of those with income above $50,000 a year are more aware of stroke that those who earn less $25,000 a year.

Gender: Women knew better (40%) than men (34%).

Marital status: Married people (40%) are more aware of stroke than their single counterparts (32%).

Need to brush up on your stroke awareness? The Stroke Collaborative (Give Me 5!) is a joint initiative by the American Heart Association, American Stroke Association, American College of Emergency Physicians and American Academy of Cardiology to help spread stroke awareness.

Here are five ways to check if someone is having a stroke:

WALK: Is their balance off?

TALK: Is their speech slurred or face droopy?

REACH: Is one side weak or numb?

SEE: Is their vision all or partly lost?

FEEL: Is their headache severe?

Remember: only one of these symptoms is enough to indicate a stroke. Call 9-1-1

               

Can coffee protect you from stroke?

Now you see them, now you don’t. I am referring the health benefits/adverse effects of coffee. Previous studies indicated that excessive  caffeine consumption may have some bad effects on our health. But this new study seems to bring good news to coffee lovers.

This joint study by American and Spanish researchers recently published in the journal Circulation however, says this is not the case. The study looked at the data of 83,076 women as part of the Nurses’ Health Study. The study participants were followed up for more than 24 years, their caffeine consumption recorded, as well as any cardiovascular events that occurred during the follow-up period. The results show that there is no evidence of increased stroke risk in women drinking 4 or more cups of coffee per day. On the contrary, the results actually suggest coffee consumption results in a modest but still observable decrease in risk for all types of stroke.

Compared with women who drank less than one cup of coffee a month, the stroke risk was found to be

• 20 percent less in women drinking four or more cups/day.
• 19 percent less in women drinking two to three cups/day.
• 12 percent less in women drinking coffee five to seven times a week.

Other caffeinated drinks such as tea and soft drinks did not show any association, positive or negative to stroke risk. However, decaf coffee also showed a trend towards lowering the risk. This suggests that whatever gives protection against stroke, it must not be caffeine but something else. The authors think coffee contains antioxidants that may reduce inflammatory processes and improve endothelial function. Previous data analyses indicate that coffee may have some beneficial affects that can be protective against coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Since coffee drinkers also tended to be cigarette smokers, the researchers also looked whether the protective effect of coffee can counteract the adverse effects of smoking. Well, smokers have to be disappointed. Coffee doesn’t help at all in lowering smokers’ stroke risk. But neither does it increase it. Thus, “the potential benefit of coffee consumption cannot counterbalance the detrimental effects smoking has on health“, according to the authors.

Thus, the researchers emphasize that this reduced stroke risk due to coffee is only true for healthy, non-smoking women.

And before you load up on coffee upon heating this good news, take note what the authors conclude:

“Anyone with health problems that can be worsened by coffee (insomnia, anxiety, hypertension or heart problems) should talk to their doctor about their specific risk.”

Photo credit: stock.xchng

               

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