Chronic Disease in Former College Students V. Early Precursors of Fatal Stroke

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Of 50,000 male former students who had entered the University of Pennsylvania or Harvard University between 1916 and 1950 and submitted to case-taking procedures, 171 died from stroke. Two-thirds of these deaths were ascribed to subarachnoid or intracerebral hemorrhage, and the remainder were occlusive in origin. Fatal hemorrhagic stroke occurred at an earlier age and with a shorter interval between onset and death than did fatal occlusive stroke. Four control subjects for each stroke decedent were chosen at random from his surviving classmates of equivalent age. Comparison of case-taking and other college records of decedent and control groups identified 7 characteristics predisposing to fatal stroke: cigarette smoking, higher blood pressure, increased body weight, shorter body stature, early parental death, heart consciousness, and nonparticipation in varsity sports. In general, these precursors were indicative of both hemorrhagic and occlusive stroke. Cigarette smoking, obesity, short stature, and early parental death were more strongly correlated with occlusive than with hemorrhagic stroke, whereas the reverse was true for higher levels of blood pressure. Combinations of precursive factors further increased the risk of fatal stroke, particularly heavy cigarette smoking and higher levels of blood pressure occurring together or with other elements.

This publication has 4 references indexed in Scilit: