People With Fat Stomach And High Blood Pressure Are At Risk Of Dying During A Second Stroke, This Is An Explanation From The Expert

People with large abdominal circumference or belly fat, are at risk of recurrent strokes. (photo: unsplash)

JAKARTA - People with a large waist circumference, high blood pressure, and other risk factors that make up metabolic syndrome, may be at higher risk of having a second stroke and even dying than people who don't have metabolic syndrome. That conclusion comes according to a meta-analysis published July 28 in the online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Metabolic syndrome is defined as having excess belly fat plus two or more of the following risk factors: high blood pressure, higher-than-normal triglycerides (a type of fat found in the blood), high blood sugar, and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, or "good" cholesterol.

“Studies have shown conflicting results about whether metabolic syndrome, which is associated with an increased risk of a first stroke, also increases the risk of a second stroke and death, so we wanted to analyze all available studies. These findings will help people with metabolic syndrome and their healthcare providers know that they should be screened for recurrent stroke risk and provided with preventive care", said Tian Li, study author from the Fourth Military Medical University in Xi'an, China.

For the risk of stroke recurrence, the meta-analysis combined results from six studies with 11.000 participants followed for up to five years. During that time, 1.250 people had a second stroke. The analysis found that people with metabolic syndrome were 46% more likely to have a second stroke than people without the syndrome.

Looking at each component of the metabolic syndrome, the researchers found that having low levels of good cholesterol and having two or more components of the syndrome were independently associated with an increased risk of a second stroke. Having excess belly fat, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure were not associated with an increased risk of a second stroke alone.

For risk of death from any cause, the meta-analysis combined eight studies with 51.613 people followed for up to five years. During that time, 4.210 people died. People with metabolic syndrome were 27% more likely to die during the study than people without the syndrome. None of the individual components of the syndrome were independently associated with an increased risk of death.

"These results add to the evidence that people with metabolic syndrome should take steps to alter their risk of a second stroke and even death if possible, through medication, diet, exercise, and other recommended lifestyle changes such as smoking cessation", Li said.

Li noted that the study was observational, so it does not prove that metabolic syndrome is a cause of recurrent stroke or death. They only show associations.