Traumatic Brain Injury Increases Risk of Stroke

People who have suffered a traumatic brain injury may have a much higher risk of stroke. According to a new study that was published by researchers at the University of Michigan Medical School, patients who have had a brain injury have an overall low risk of suffering a stroke, but the stroke risk is as high as for patients who suffer from high blood pressure.

The study, which was published in the journal Neurology, analyzed data from databases in California. These people had all been taken to the emergency department or discharged from hospital between 2005 and 2009. The database involved information about more than 400,000 people who had suffered brain injury. There were also another 700,000 people who had suffered trauma, but not an injury. All of the people in the study were below the age of 50.

The researchers found that approximately 28 months after suffering a brain injury, more than 11,000 people, or approximately 1.1% suffered an ischaemic stroke, which is the most common type of stroke. Among the people who had suffered trauma, but had not suffered a brain injury, only .09% of the people suffered a stroke.

While that might seem like a statistically insignificant difference, the researchers say that it is significant because stroke is very rare among people below the age of 50.

Overall, the researchers found that individuals who had suffered a traumatic brain injury were 30% more likely to suffer a stroke later, than those who had suffered trauma but had not suffered a brain injury.

Brain injuries can occur as a result of motorcycle, auto and trucking accidents, workplace accidents and slip and fall accidents. These are catastrophic injuries, not only because they severely impact a person’s ability to live a normal life but, but also because there is no complete cure for these injuries.

The Texas brain injury lawyers at Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P., Accident & Injury Lawyers represent persons who have suffered traumatic brain injury across Texas.