First of all, it was only a vague feeling of neurologists at the University hospital of Augsburg: On some days, so the observation of the physician were brought more stroke patients to the hospital than others.
Could this be related to the weather together? This assumption stood at the beginning of a large-scale study, with the help of the doctors were able to together and prove that with climate researchers at the University of Augsburg now, your vague sense scientifically.
For their study, the scientists analyzed nearly 18,000 strokes, the patients had suffered over a period of ten years in the area of Augsburg, Germany.
In the study, the researchers distinguish between cerebral infarction and cerebral hemorrhage. Physicians speak here of the two subtypes of stroke.
Result: The weather is influenced accordingly, in fact, the incidence of stroke.
Cerebral infarction and cerebral hemorrhage
Determine the dry-warm air masses, the weather, the study found that the risk for certain types of brain infarction, the over 80 percent of all strokes represent.
The risk for bleeding in the brain was low, according to the researchers.
Vice versa it looks when dry and cool air masses prevail: Then increases the risk for bleeding in the brain. Cerebral infarctions are rare.
Weather has different effects
Cerebral infarctions occur therefore less often in moist air masses.
“We are not the first, the climate and the impact frequency of accidents in the context,” says Dr. Michael Ertl, one of the two first authors of the study.
But never before has such a large amount of shock was Ertl, according to seizures with complex meteorological phenomena matched in the current Augsburg study.
While in previous stroke studies usually only air pressure and temperature played a role, have taken into account the German researchers claims to have more than just local weather conditions.
The special feature of the study
“We also refer to large-scale conditions such as the soil-air pressure distribution over Europe”, says Dr. Christoph Beck, who was involved as a climate researcher in the study.
“The Interplay between different meteorological factors such as air temperature, air pressure and humidity, as well as short-term temperature changes is very complex.”
Objective: To Better Stroke Prevention
The aim of the study is to use the results for the stroke-Prevention.
Because the strokes are not only in Germany but worldwide one of the most common causes of death. And often the reason for a permanent need for care of affected patients.
“With our study we want to contribute to both the patients and the medical care institutions can make timely, appropriate preventive and treating measures,” says Professor Markus Naumann, Director of the clinic for neurology and Clinical neurophysiology at the University hospital in Augsburg, Germany.
For this, however, further research is still needed.
*The contribution of “risk for cerebral hemorrhage and cerebral infarction is increasing in accordance with the weather” will be released by Wizelife. Contact with the executives here.