16.5 million Americans at risk of stroke from excessive exercise: study

Health

From Adriana Diaz

June 26, 2023 | 3:32 pm

Push it but not too hard.

Nearly 16.5 million Americans are at risk of stroke from exercising too strenuously, according to a new study.

Published in the scientific journal Physics of Fluid, the researchers concluded that an elevated heart rate can induce a stroke in those with blocked carotid arteries.

The carotid arteries are found on both sides of the neck and supply blood flow to the face and brain.

But when fat and cholesterol build up, they form plaque that narrows the artery, a process called stenosis.

Stricture can be very difficult to detect early on and is dangerous because it restricts blood flow to the brain, which can lead to a stroke.

An estimated 16.5 million (5%) Americans have carotid artery stenosis, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Those who smoke, are obese, live a sedentary lifestyle and have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes are more likely to suffer from carotid artery stenosis. It can also develop with age.

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur used a computational model to simulate blood flow in carotid arteries in three stages of stenosis: without blockage, with 30% mild blockage and with 50% moderate blockage.

They compared the effect of an exercise-induced heart rate of 140 beats per minute, which can be achieved by brisk walking for some obese people, and resting heart rates of 67 and 100 bpm.

Healthy patients and those with only slightly blocked arteries appeared to have benefits for maintaining healthy blood flow.

However, the findings for those with moderate to severe blockage were concerning.

Vigorous exercise shows negative effects on patients with moderate or higher stricture levels, said lead author Somnath Roy.

Substantially increases shear stress in the area of ​​the stricture, which can cause rupture of the stricture. This ruptured plaque can then flow to the brain and its blood supply, causing an ischemic stroke.

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States, but 80 percent are preventable, reports the American Stroke Association.

The researchers concluded that while stressful exercises may be beneficial for improving cardiac performance in healthy individuals, the same can lead to extremely adverse consequences to elevated heart rates due to strenuous physical activities for patients with extensive arterial blockages, if not performed under the supervision of specialized experts.

With heart disease being the leading cause of death among Americans, heart health is incredibly important and continually studied.

Another recent study found that oversleeping can actually be bad for your health, while another found that spending just 30 minutes on the phone a week was linked to an increase in blood pressure.