Stroke: Blacks May Be At A Higher Risk Than Whites

New research published in the journal Neurology reveals that black individuals are three times more likely to have a stroke than white counterparts.

Researchers looked at close to 30,000 people enrolled in the REGARDS Study--an observational study that examines stroke risk in individuals over 45. Close to 3,000 people in the study had a history of stroke at their evaluation-with about 300 of them having a second stroke. From the 27,000 people who did not have a stroke in the previous study, about 1,000 people experienced first-time stroke during the study.

"The interaction between black race and age appears to be remarkably different for the risk of first versus second stroke," said Howard, principal investigator for the REGARDS Study. "Race has little impact in the risk for a second stroke."

While researchers found that at the age of 45, black participants who had never had a stroke were about 2.7 times more likely to have a stroke than white participants at age 54, by the age of 85, there was no difference in stroke risk between the two races.

Researchers note that while stroke risk is declining in both groups, whites are seeing the decline more rapidly than blacks.

A stroke occurs when blood flow to an area of the brain is cut off. Brain cells are then deprived of oxygen and begin to die. When brain cells die during a stroke, abilities controlled by that area of the brain such as memory and muscle control are lost, according to the National Stroke Association.

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