Lifestyle, Genetics and Stroke

An UK prospective population based cohort study found that genetic and lifestyle factors were independently associated with risk of incident stroke. The study recruited 306 473 men and women, aged 40-73 years, between 2006 and 2010. During a median follow-up of 7.1 years (2 138 443 person years), 2077 incident strokes (1541 ischemic stroke, 287 intracerebral hemorrhage, and 249 subarachnoid hemorrhage) were ascertained. The risk of incident stroke was 35% higher among those at top third of polygenic score compared with those at bottom third. Unfavorable lifestyle (0 or 1 healthy lifestyle factors) was associated with a 66% increased risk of stroke compared with a favorable lifestyle (3 or 4 healthy lifestyle factors). The association with lifestyle was independent of genetic risk stratums. A healthy lifestyle was determined on the basis of four factors: non-smoker, healthy diet, body mass index <30 kg/m2, and regular physical exercise. The findings are consistent with previous studies that genetic and lifestyle factors were independently associated with susceptibility to coronary artery disease (CAD), and highlight the potential of lifestyle interventions to reduce risks of CAD and stroke across entire populations, even in those at high genetic risk. Source: https://www.bmj.com/