Researchers at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden have found that regular exercise protects against serious brain hemorrhages. The results of scientific studies were published in the journal Stroke and Vascular Neurology.
Intracerebral hemorrhage is the most dangerous type of stroke. The risk of serious consequences increases with the degree of bleeding – in some cases, it can be fatal. To determine the severity of a patient’s condition, anyone who is admitted to the hospital with a suspicion of intracerebral hemorrhage undergoes a brain computed tomography (CT) scan. Next, doctors recommend a course of treatment.
The authors analyzed data from 686 people treated for stroke between 2014 and 2019. The results of the study are based on a retrospective analysis. Cause-and-effect relationships cannot be determined, but the results are clear: those who reported regular physical activity had 50% less bleeding than those who maintained a sedentary lifestyle.
According to scientists, regular physical activity is at least light exercise, such as walking, cycling, swimming, gardening or dancing, for at least four hours a week.
“We hope that our results will contribute to a better understanding of intracerebral hemorrhage and help develop more effective preventive measures,” the authors said.