Depression May Increase Stroke Risk in Middle-Aged Women
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iStockphoto/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Many people suffer from depression as a complication after suffering a stroke, however, a new study shows that depression may be a risk factor for future strokes.
Researchers studied women born between 1946 and 1961, surveying the participants every three years between 1988 and 2010. Women were asked to self-report their depression, medication use and diagnosis or treatment. They also self-reported any stroke they may have suffered. Additionally, stroke deaths were identified using a national database.
Over 10,000 women participated in the survey, the results of which were published in the journal Stroke.
The data determined that women who were depressed were more than twice as likely to suffer a stroke than those who were not depressed.
The researchers believe that improvement in the diagnosis and treatment of depression could play a role in limiting stroke risk later in life.
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