Smoking dramatically increases the risk of brain hemorrhage in women

Smoking women often suffer subarachnoid hemorrhages
The so-called stroke (apoplexy) is a life-threatening disease that affects about 270,000 people a year in Germany alone. One cause of strokes is bleeding in our brain. Researchers found that such brain hemorrhages occur more often in smokers. Smoking women are particularly affected by these dangerous bleeding.

Smoking is unhealthy. There are several health issues that affect people smoking. University of Helsinki scientists found in a recent study that smoking women also have an increased likelihood of cerebral hemorrhage. In them, so-called subarachnoid haemorrhages occur three times more frequently than in men who smoke the same amount of cigarettes. The physicians published the results of their study in the English-language journal "Stroke".

When women smoke cigarettes, they increase their risk of strokes and brain hemorrhages. So another reason to stop smoking! (Image: photo 5000 / fotolia.com)

Smoking increases the likelihood of subarachnoid haemorrhage eightfold
Smoking women massively increase their risk of stroke and brain hemorrhages. Already slightly smoking women have a tripled probability of suffering a stroke, the experts say. Women who smoke more than one pack of cigarettes a day increase their risk of subarachnoid haemorrhage eightfold, compared to women who do not smoke at all.

Avoid subarachnoid hemorrhage, stop smoking today
There is no sure level of smoking. The best option is simply never to start smoking, explains senior researcher Dr. Joni Lindbohm from the University of Helsinki. Politicians should introduce effective anti-smoking strategies, which could significantly reduce subarachnoid hemorrhages, explains Drs. Linbohm continues. Of course there are other studies that have dealt with the prevention of strokes. For example, one study found that aspirin can prevent a severe stroke.

Even younger people are threatened by subarachnoid hemorrhage
It is often believed that only older people can get a stroke. This idea is of course wrong, because it also affects younger patients. Subarachnoid haemorrhage occurs in about three percent of all strokes, with young people also being affected more frequently.

Subarachnoid haemorrhages can quickly lead to permanent disability and death. The mortality rate is about one-fifth, say the doctors. Such a type of stroke usually results from bleeding from an aneurysm in the human brain. An aneurysm is a small weak spot in a blood vessel that can burst at any time, the scientists explain.

Study examines the data of 66,000 subjects
For her study analyzed. Lindbohm and his colleagues already collected data from nearly 66,000 Finnish adults. The data came from a large national Finnish survey. This began as early as 1972 and monitored subjects on average for a 21-year period, either until the first stroke occurred, the subjects died or until the end of the study in 2011, the authors explain.

Women are much more affected by subarachnoid haemorrhage than men
When men smoked one to ten cigarettes a day, their risk of subarachnoid hemorrhage doubled. In fact, the probability of these bleeding tripled in women, the researchers say. When people smoked eleven to twenty cigarettes a day, men were twice as likely to be at risk. In women, however, the probability of a subarachnoid hemorrhage was four times as high as in non-smokers, add the physicians. Another study has already found that women with migraine already generally have a high heart attack and stroke risk. For this reason, especially women with frequent migraine should perhaps quit smoking.

Six months abstinence from smoking significantly reduces the risk
When people quit smoking, their risk of subarachnoid hemorrhage is significantly reduced. After six months of abstinence, the risk fell back to the level of non-smokers.

Link between subarachnoid hemorrhage and smoking was already known
The reasons why subarachnoid hemorrhages are more common in women than in men remain unclear. Linbohm. The researcher suggests that the general harms of smoking greatly increase the risk in women. The link between subarachnoid hemorrhage and smoking is not a real surprise. This connection has been known for years. So it's best to stop smoking today. If you've tried several times but have not had much success so far, here are some hints on how to finally stop smoking.

Smoking and hypertension are two important modifiable risk factors
Cigarette smoking and hypertension are two important modifiable risk factors for subarachnoid hemorrhage, say the experts. The results prove that people generally should never smoke cigarettes and have to look for a healthy blood pressure to avoid this type of stroke. (As)