Higher Risk of Stroke after TBI

Research by a University of Michigan Health System team suggests that people who have suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) may be at a somewhat higher risk of sustaining a stroke in the future. There are two major types of TBI; penetrating injuries and closed head injuries. In a penetrating head injury, a foreign object enters the brain and causes damage along the path which it travels, this could include a bullet wound, a nail, or other sharp object. The other main type of TBI is a closed head injury. A closed head injury results from a blow to the head consistent with car accidents, such as when the head strikes the windshield or dashboard. In fact, car accidents are a leading cause of TBI, and the most common type of closed head injury from a car accident is a concussion. For the study at U-M, researchers looked at the medical records of adults who visited the emergency room or who were admitted to a hospital for TBI or other trauma without brain injury over a five year period. 435,630 people with TBI and 736,723 people with trauma without brain injury were studied. On average, 28 months following their injuries, 1.1 percent of subjects with TBI suffered a stroke, as compared with .09 percent of those with trauma without brain injury. Ischemic strokes, where blood flow to part of the brain is blocked, account for eighty percent of all strokes. After adjusting for factors that can influence stroke risk, such as high blood pressure and cholesterol, age, heart disease and the severity of the trauma, researchers found that people with traumatic brain injury were more likely to suffer a stroke than those with trauma without brain injury. James F. Burke, M.D., a clinical lecturer in the U-M Medical School’s department of Neurology says that although the stroke risk for one person with TBI is relatively unsubstantial, the overall correlation between TBI and stroke was significant, as great as the link between stroke and high blood pressure, the strongest stroke risk factor. Dr. Burke says, “If further research establishes TBI as a new risk factor for stroke that would stimulate research to help us understand what causes stroke after TBI and help us learn how to prevent these strokes.”

Seattle Car Accident Lawyers

At Phillips Law Firm, our Washington personal injury attorneys have extensive experience representing individuals who have sustained a traumatic brain injury in accidents in Seattle, Bellevue, Everett, Tacoma, and throughout the State of Washington. We understand that TBI victims can have a lifetime of disabilities, pain, and suffering, and as such, we fight aggressively to obtain the maximum compensation. Call us today for a free case evaluation at 1-800-708-6000. Our Seattle personal injury attorneys spend one-on-one time with our clients and we work diligently to achieve extraordinary results for all of our clients.