HealthDay News
In a recent study, 29% of people who were about to have a stroke met the criteria for probable depression, compared to 24% of those who did not have a stroke.
While many people suffer from depression after a stroke, a new study suggests depression often occurs beforehand and may be a warning sign.
Study author Maria Blöchl of the University of Münster, in Germany said:
“The study underscores why doctors need to monitor for symptoms of depression long term in people who have had strokes.”
“Participants who were about to suffer a stroke became increasingly depressed, up until they fell ill.”
For the study, Blöchl and her colleagues looked at more than 10,000 adults without a history of stroke (average age, 65).
Over about 12 years of follow-up, 425 had a stroke.
These patients were compared to more than 4,200 people with similar backgrounds who did not have a stroke.
The study participants were surveyed every two years.
They were asked whether they had experienced symptoms of depression in the past week, including feelings of loneliness, sadness, restless sleep, or feelings that everything was difficult to accomplish.
The surveys revealed that symptoms of depression often preceded strokes and got worse afterwards … READ MORE.
