Health News

Apr 3, 2009, 4:56 GMT

Fatal stokes more likely in winter than summer, experts find

Hong Kong - One form of fatal strokes is more likely to affect people in winter than the summer, a team of Hong Kong medical experts said Friday. Neurologists found a far higher incidence of strokes caused by aneurismal subarachnoid haemorrhage, a rupture that leads to blood filling the space surrounding the brain, in winter when temperatures are lower and atmospheric pressure higher. The team from Hong Kong's Prince of Wales Hospital studied 135 patients over a period of four years and found the majority of cases took place in the winter, with the peak month being January. Patients should pay particular attention to symptoms such as sudden, severe headaches during winter to reduce the risk of a fatal stroke, the doctors suggested. Neurosurgeon George Wong, speaking on the government-run radio station RTHK, said the strokes killed one in two sufferers and affected smokers or people with untreated hypertension. 'People should have greater awareness in winter,' he said. 'Symptoms such as the sudden onset of a severe headache should not be ignored; otherwise, a chance to cure the disease may be lost.' The findings of the team, which is continuing its study by trying to find out what brain processes change as a result of atmospheric pressure, were published Friday in the Hong Kong Medical Journal. Aneurismal subarachnoid haemorrhages are among the less common types of strokes and are most likely to occur spontaneously and not as a result of an injury.

And Also

The Decade: Film's 10 Best Music Moments In The Aughts

The Decade: Film's 10 Best Music Moments In The Aughts - Cinema Blend
GASP: Goldstriker creates world's most expensive iPhone - The Tech Herald
Peter Jackson Looks Lovely at 'Bones' Premiere - PopEater
Chris Rock interview, Sons of Anarchy and Woody Allen shout out for 'Madagascar' star

Your Talkback on this Story

Similar articles

Hong Kong authorities issue health warning as smog blankets city
Slimming drug blamed for causing Hong Kong teen's mental illness
Ancient painkilling cures still favoured by many in Hong Kong
Health of the poor at increasing risk in economic crisis, says WHO
More than half of workaholic Hong Kong people exercise too little

Latest Headlines in Health

Older Talkback

Health: Index

: News; Features

Latest Pics

From Sites we Like

XOXO places female living mannequins wearing lingerie in their windows geared toward and you clicked without even hearing what city this is in [Spiffy]
Cindy Sheehan yells "Get out of my face" through a megaphone at point blank range to a grizzled military veteran. Hilarity ensues [Fail]
Vancouver (Nanny State Jr.) considers altering law to order all residents to clear their own sidewalks in case of snow, or else face fine [Strange]

More Not News from Fark

In Monsters and Critics

: Arts; Books; DVD; Gaming; Lifestyle; Movies; Music; News; People; Science & Nature; Sport; TV; Archives
Other Languages and Sites: Deutschland (Monsters and Critics); The Tech Herald; Free Games

Entertainment: Arts; Books; DVD; Gaming; Movies; Music; People; Soundtracks; TV
Media: Celebrity Photos; Movie Pictures; Movie Trailers; Movie Posters; Theatre Stills; Celebrity Video; Music Video
Released this week: Movies - USA; Movies - UK; DVD - USA
Distractions: Online Games; Daily Crossword; Sudoku Classic; Daily Jigsaw

World News: US; UK; Americas; Europe; Middle East; Asia Pacific; South Asia; Africa; Business; Education; Health
Science and Tech: Science and Nature; Technology
Lifestyle: Autos; Fashion; Life; Travel

Corporate

: About; Advertise; Contact; The Team; Vacancies; Privacy; RSS; Site Map; Terms; Webmasters

The Fine Print

© 2003 - 2009 by Monsters and Critics.com, WotR Ltd. All Rights Reserved. All photos are copyright their respective owners and are used under license or with permission. * Note M&C cannot be held responsible for the content on other Web Sites.

Servers supplied by Servint