Women hypertensive smokers are 20 times more at risk of brain haemorrhage

Women who smoke and have high blood pressure are twenty times more likely to have a brain haemorrhage when compared with non-smoking men with normal blood pressure, according to new research.

A brain hemorrhage is a type of stroke, caused by an artery in the brain bursting. Often, this happens at a weak spot in the artery called an aneurysm, which is a blood-filled balloon-like bulge on the wall of a blood vessel.

At present, whilst aneurysms can be detected, doctors can’t tell those that are likely to rupture and those that wont, and it is hoped that this valuable scientific study may help target individuals most at risk of rupture of their aneurysm in order to avoid a haemorrhage.

The study by Helsinki University Central Hospital and Australian School of Advanced Medicine indicates that the risk of a haemorrhage can vary dramatically according to certain risk elements, such as, gender, smoking and blood pressure.

Brain haemorrhages are lethal in 40 to 50 per cent of instances, and the research reveals that women smokers and individuals with hypertension are often the most likely to see their aneurysm burst.

Previous research had shown that individuals with type 1 diabetes have an unusually high risk of brain haemorrhages that are not caused by ruptured aneurysms.

This study, which was the biggest ever conducted into brain haemorrhage risks, identified 3 different risks:

• Previous heart attack
• A history of stroke in a person’s mother
• Higher cholesterol in men

In the past,  it had been shown that lifestyle factors affect the life expectancy of brain haemorrhage survivors. This study confirms that lifestyle factors also influence the threat of the haemorrhage occurring to begin with.

How to lower your risk of a brain haemorrhage

At North Kent Hypnotherapy, we can help you lower your risk of dying of brain haemorrhage. Not only can we help you finally stop smoking in just 2 hours, but we can also help you address the lifestyle factors that are known to contribute to and sustain high blood pressure.

In fact, we are the co-creators of the highly acclaimed Hypnotension programme for high blood pressure, so when you come to see us, you can be assured we have the expertise to help you quit smoking and lower your blood pressure.

So if you smoke or have high blood pressure and want to take positive steps to help yourself, please get in touch.