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Winter Stroke Risk Factors: The risk of brain stroke increases in winter because the blood starts thickening due to cold. Due to falling temperature, platelets and clot-forming proteins increase and the veins shrink, increasing blood pressure. A study of the year 2023 revealed that the risk of ischemic stroke increases by about 3% on extremely cold days. In cold weather, this risk is highest in people with high BP, diabetes, heart disease and old stroke.
Cold Weather and Brain Stroke: Winter season is considered good for traveling and eating and drinking. Healthy people enjoy this season a lot. However, winter season increases the risk of many diseases and proves to be troublesome for people already suffering from diseases. According to health experts, the risk of heart and brain related diseases increases in winter. During cold weather, many internal reactions of our body occur which increase the risk of brain stroke. Especially in cold, the risk of ischemic stroke increases, in which a blood clot disrupts the functioning of the blood vessels of the brain. If treatment is not received in the first few hours, people become paralyzed due to stroke.
It has also been found in many researches that drop in temperature increases the risk of stroke. A meta-analysis published in February 2023 revealed that cold temperatures thicken the blood. Within a few hours of feeling cold, the number of red blood cells and platelets in the body starts increasing, due to which the risk of blood clot formation increases. Apart from this, clot forming proteins like fibrinogen also become active. The thicker the blood, the more obstruction there will be in its flow and the greater the risk of clot formation. This can be the biggest cause of ischemic stroke.
According to a study conducted in Lithuania, each very cold day increases the risk of ischemic stroke by about 3%. Cold not only causes discomfort or shivering, but also has a direct effect on the blood flow to the brain. When the weather is extremely cold, factors like narrowing of veins, increase in blood pressure and reduction in blood flow together increase the risk of stroke. In cold weather, the body shrinks the blood vessels of the external parts to keep itself warm, which is called vaso-constriction. Through this process, the body temperature remains controlled, but the pressure in the arteries starts increasing. Due to increasing pressure, sufficient amount of oxygen does not reach the brain.
According to health experts, people with high blood pressure, diabetes patients, smokers, people suffering from heart disease and people above 55 years of age are at the highest risk of stroke in winter. To reduce this risk, it is very important to avoid sudden cold in winter, wear warm clothes, drink enough water, monitor BP regularly, stay away from smoking and take medicines prescribed by the doctor on time. If any kind of problem is seen, contact the doctor immediately.
