Stroke Risk Spikes After Shingles Episode: Study
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But getting antiviral meds to treat painful rash lowers chances of brain attack
People with shingles face a significantly increased risk of stroke in the weeks following the first signs of the painful skin rash, new research suggests.
Patients' overall stroke risk is highest in the first month after the onset of shingles, when they are 63 percent more likely to have a stroke, said study author Dr. Sinead Langan, a senior lecturer at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The risk tapers off during the following five months, she added.
Shingles patients also have a threefold increased risk of stroke if they develop the rash around one or both eyes, according to the report published online April 3 in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Can Vitamin C Ward Off Stroke?
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Researchers can't say for sure, but brain bleeds were more common among those with low levels of the vitamin
In a small study, French researchers have found that people deficient in vitamin C might be at greater risk for bleeding in the brain, also called hemorrhagic stroke.
Even Minor Strokes May Take Years Off Life: Study
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Prevention is crucial, neurologists agree
Despite life-saving advances in treating strokes, these "brain attacks" can shave years off of a person's life and seriously impair the quality of the years they have left, a new study shows.
The damage is most pronounced after a severe stroke, but even those people who have a so-called mini-stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) are at risk. The new findings appear online in the Oct. 9 issue of the journal Neurology.
