People with stroke who walk 30 minutes per day may have 54% lower risk
of early death

Date:
August 11, 2021
Source:
American Academy of Neurology
Summary:
A new study shows that people who walk or garden at least three to
four hours per week, or bike at least two to three hours per week,
or the equivalent after having a stroke may have a 54% lower risk
of early death from any cause. The study found the most benefit for
younger stroke survivors. When people under the age of 75 exercised
at least that amount, their risk of early death was reduced by 80%.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
A new study shows that people who walk or garden at least three to
four hours per week, or bike at least two to three hours per week,
or the equivalent after having a stroke may have a 54% lower risk
of death from any cause. The research is published in the August 11,
2021, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American
Academy of Neurology. The study found the most benefit for younger stroke survivors. When people under the age of 75 exercised at least that amount, their risk of death was reduced by 80%.


==========================================================================
"A better understanding of the role of physical activity in the health of people who survive stroke is needed to design better exercise therapies
and public health campaigns so we can help these individuals live longer,"
said study author Raed A. Joundi, MD, DPhil, of the University of Calgary
in Canada and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. "Our results
are exciting, because just three to four hours a week of walking was
associated with big reductions in mortality, and that may be attainable
for many community members with prior stroke. In addition, we found
people achieved even greater benefit with walking six to seven hours
per week. These results might have implications for guidelines for
stroke survivors in the future." The study looked at 895 people with
an average age of 72 who had a prior stroke and 97,805 people with an
average age of 63 who had never had a stroke.

Average weekly physical activity was evaluated from questions about
activities such as walking, running, gardening, weight training, bicycling
and swimming.

For example, people were asked, "In the past three months, how many
times did you walk for exercise? About how much time did you spend on
each occasion?" Researchers used the frequency and duration of each
type of physical activity to calculate the amount of exercise.

Researchers followed participants for an average of about four and a half years. After accounting for other factors that could affect risk of death,
like age and smoking, researchers found that 25% of the people who had
previous strokes died from any cause, compared to 6% of the people who
had never had a stroke.

In the stroke group, 15% of the people who exercised at least the
equivalent of three to four hours of walking each week died during follow
up, compared to 33%, who did not exercise that minimum amount. In the
group of people who had never had strokes, 4% of the people who exercised
that amount died, compared to 8% who did not.

Researchers found the largest reduction in death rate among people who
had a previous stroke but were under 75 years of age. In that group,
11% of those who exercised at least the minimum amount died, compared to
29% who did not. People with previous stroke who were under 75 years of
age and met the minimum level of physical activity were about 80% less
likely to die during study follow-up than those who did not. People over
75 years of age who exercised the minimum experienced less of a benefit,
but were still 32% less likely to die.

"Our results suggest that getting a minimum amount of physical activity
may reduce long-term mortality from any cause in stroke survivors,"
Joundi said.

"We should particularly emphasize this to stroke survivors who are younger
in age, as they may gain the greatest health benefits from walking just
thirty minutes each day." A limitation of the study is that people may
not have accurately reported their amount of exercise.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by American_Academy_of_Neurology. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Raed A. Joundi, Scott B. Patten, Aysha Lukmanji, Jeanne VA
Williams, Eric
E. Smith. Association Between Physical Activity and Mortality Among
Community-Dwelling Stroke Survivors. Neurology, 2021; 10.1212/
WNL.0000000000012535 DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000012535 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210811175147.htm

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