Preterm deliveries may pose long-term stroke risk for mothers
Michael Precker, American Heart Association News
May 10, 2021
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It s not surprising that babies born prematurely may face more health issues than those who were carried to term.
But new research suggests the same may apply to their mothers.
A study published Monday in the American Heart Association journal Circulation showed women who delivered babies preterm had a higher risk of having a stroke. I m not sure there s a lot of awareness of this, said Dr. Casey Crump, who led the research.
A full-term pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks. A birth earlier than 37 weeks is considered preterm. Crump said previous smaller studies had suggested an association between preterm deliveries and stroke, as well as high blood pressure, a main risk factor of stroke, which sparked our interest in looking further.
How social isolation can harm health as you age - and how to prevent it
Laura Williamson, American Heart Association News
May 7, 2021
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Barbara Stopfer hasn t had much of a social life since her husband died six years ago. She stopped seeing coworkers, too, after her heart condition required her to cut back her hours and work remotely.
But the 79-year-old stayed connected to people at her residential community for older adults, through activities like mahjong and the occasional lunch outing. Her brightest hours were when her adult children came to visit, her daughter often surprising her.
Then the pandemic hit. And what was left of her social life came to a screeching halt.
Son helps dad after back surgery, then dad helps son after stroke
Tate Gunnerson, American Heart Association News
May 7, 2021
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When 81-year-old Dick Connery had back surgery in 2019, his son Tim Connery became his primary caregiver. Tim moved in temporarily, ran errands and kept his dad company.
Then, Tim said, in the blink of an eye, things changed.
One morning, about three weeks after Dick s surgery, 57-year-old Tim woke up feeling confused and out of sorts. Nevertheless, he continued about his day, even hopping in the car to run errands.
Increasingly dizzy, he passed out while driving. His car veered off the road and launched into the air. That s when he came to, a fact verified by his fitness-tracking watch recording a spike in his heart rate.
Prenatal stress can program a child s brain for later health issues
Laura Williamson, American Heart Association News
May 6, 2021
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Soaring blood pressure. A racing heartbeat. Trouble sleeping. Excessive worrying. Difficulty concentrating. These are warning signs of out-of-control stress and anxiety, and their roots could begin long before you might think.
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health issue in the United States, affecting nearly 1 in 5 adults, or 40 million people. Another 19 million adults – 8% of the population – has depression. Both can harm heart and brain health.
While the causes of these disorders are not fully understood, researchers believe at least some of the architecture of mental health begins long before adulthood. And a growing number of studies show it can begin in the womb. High levels of maternal stress during pregnancy can predispose a developing fetus to psychiatric and cardiovascular illnesses decades later.
5 critical steps to help prevent a stroke
Laura Williamson, American Heart Association News
May 5, 2021
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If there s one good thing that can be said of strokes, it s this: The vast majority of them don t need to happen.
Up to 80% of strokes can be prevented through healthy lifestyle changes and working with health care practitioners to control stroke risk factors. Researchers have identified numerous steps people can take to lower stroke risk, but health experts agree, trying to do them all at once can feel overwhelming. The biggest mistake people make is they are overly ambitious, and then they fail and give up, said Dr. Vladimir Hachinski, a Canadian neurologist and global expert in the field of stroke. You have to start small.