8 Stroke Triggers for Those With Untreated Aneurysm
May 5, 2011 -- For those at risk, common activities such as drinking coffee, having sex, or blowing the nose could trigger a stroke, according to new research from the Netherlands.
"For the general population our findings do not apply,'' says researcher Monique H.M. Vlak, MD, a neurologist at the University Medical Center in Utrecht, Netherlands.
It applies, she tells WebMD, to those who have an untreated brain aneurysm. This is a weakness in the wall of a blood vessel in the brain. It often causes the wall to balloon out. If it ruptures, it can lead to a stroke known as a subarachnoid hemorrhage. It involves bleeding between a membrane that covers the brain and the brain.
While 2% of the population has this brain aneurysm, few rupture, according to Vlak.
The study is published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.
A Visual Guide to Understanding Stroke
"For the general population our findings do not apply,'' says researcher Monique H.M. Vlak, MD, a neurologist at the University Medical Center in Utrecht, Netherlands.
It applies, she tells WebMD, to those who have an untreated brain aneurysm. This is a weakness in the wall of a blood vessel in the brain. It often causes the wall to balloon out. If it ruptures, it can lead to a stroke known as a subarachnoid hemorrhage. It involves bleeding between a membrane that covers the brain and the brain.
While 2% of the population has this brain aneurysm, few rupture, according to Vlak.
The study is published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.
A Visual Guide to Understanding Stroke