Certain type of stroke on the rise, with higher rates among African Caribbean people

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

Rum cake, minced pies, stuffed turkey, eggnog flavoured baked goods, jerk chicken, oxtail, curry goat, curry chicken, glazed ham…

OMG!

Just thinking about all this food is making me want to push the days forward. Can’t it be Christmas time already?

For many people the Christmas period is a time of overindulgence when it comes to FOOD! While there is nothing wrong with the occasional tasty treat, too much of certain foods and drinks can have a lasting effect on our bodies.

A recent study conducted by Fadar Oliver Otite, M.D., Sc.M., of the SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, N.Y found that certain types of strokes are on the rise, with higher rates within the African Caribbean community, most notably a subarachnoid haemorrhage.

A subarachnoid hemorrhage is when bleeding occurs, usually from a burst blood vessel, in the space between the brain and the membrane that covers it. A rupture of an aneurysm, high blood pressure or trauma can cause this type of stroke. In the study, researchers looked only at those not caused by trauma.

“Subarachnoid hemorrhages unrelated to trauma account for 5% to 10% of all strokes are often deadly,” said study author Fadar Oliver Otite, “Not only did we find an increase in these strokes over recent years, but we also found the incidence was disproportionately higher and increasing in the African Caribbean community while rates did not increase in people of other races and ethnicities.”

When looking at race and ethnicity, researchers found incidence was greater in African Caribbean people with an average of 15 cases per 100,000 people compared to non-Hispanic White people with an average of 10 cases.

They noted that incidence increased in African Caribbean people by 1.8% per year while rates for Hispanic, Asian and non-Hispanic White people did not change over time.

“This is leading to a widening of the racial incidence gap,” said Otite. “Previous studies have found African Caribbean people develop high blood pressure younger and are more likely to have uncontrolled high blood pressure than non-Hispanic white people, so expanding efforts to control blood pressure may help reduce rates.

The causes also likely extend to socioeconomic factors including structural racism. Tackling racial disparities will require multifaceted interventions targeted at stroke risk factors and socioeconomic inequity.”

One limitation of the study was researchers were unable to differentiate between strokes caused by aneurysms and those not caused by aneurysms, which would have provided further insight.

Eating the right kinds of foods and avoiding the wrong kinds can help lower your risk of having an aneurysm. Nutritious foods help keep your blood vessels healthy, while unhealthy foods can have a negative impact on them. For example, some foods can raise your blood pressure, which puts added stress on unhealthy blood vessels.

That’s right! You might have to cut out the below foods if high blood pressure and strokes run in your family:

• Fatty meats, such as red meat
• Fried foods
• Refined, white carbohydrates
• Sugary drinks, such as soda
• Fatty oils, such as margarine and butter
• Processed, packaged foods
• High cholesterol foods
• Full-fat dairy products

So, it is time to start choosing healthier food options for your diet, such as: whole grains and other complex carbs, healthy oils, low-fat dairy products, and turkey or other lean cuts of meat. You should also eat plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits as part of your regular diet