Stroke can change a person’s life and significantly affect family members and caregivers. Often referred as a brain attack, stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures. While stroke can occur at any age, the risk increases with age, making older adults particularly vulnerable as blood vessels naturally become less flexible with age.
In India, stroke is the fifth leading cause of disability. Given its growing burden and far-reaching implications for families and the health care system, understanding the factors that contribute to stroke risk is an important step towards its prevention.
Most conversations about preventing stroke usually revolve around familiar risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking, and lack of physical activity. While these factors are undoubtedly important, other less familiar risks also need to be understood.
The risk of stroke is not always driven by traditional cardiovascular factors alone, In recent years, emerging evidence suggests certain infections may be associated with a higher risk of stroke. Among them, viral infections such as influenza and shingles have emerged as important yet often overlooked concerns. One possible explanation is that viral infections can trigger inflammation and changes in blood clotting, which may increase the risk of stroke and other vascular complications.
Shingles is an illness that arises from the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox. When a patient has recovered from chickenpox, the virus becomes dormant and can reactivate later and cause shingles, often when the immune system is weaker. Most people know shingles as a painful rash, but its effects can reach beyond the skin. VZV can affect both small and large blood vessels in the brain, leading to vascular inflammation that has been associated with an increased risk of stroke and other cerebrovascular complications.
As people age, particularly those living with chronic health conditions, it becomes increasingly important to understand factors that may influence long-term health. Alongside managing traditional stroke risk factors, individuals can take practical steps to reduce exposure to infections and their complications. These include adopting preventive measures during periods of increased respiratory illness activity, such as wearing masks in crowded settings and seeking timely testing and medical advice if symptoms develop. Discussing healthy lifestyle measures, appropriate dietary modifications and recommended vaccinations with a health care provider can form an important part of a broader preventive health strategy.
(The views expressed are personal)
This article is authored by Dr Samrat Shah, consultant physician, Department of Internal Medicine, Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre.
