- Researchers are reporting that exercise may induce a stroke in people with blocked arteries.
- Experts say the study is interesting but note the research is based on a computer model.
- They add that exercise is still beneficial to most people who don’t have blocked arteries.
It turns out that the warnings that usually accompany new exercise programs about consulting with a doctor before starting are there for a reason.
A study published today in the journal Physics of Fluids says exercise can induce a stroke in someone with blocked arteries.
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur report that an elevated heart rate that typically accompanies exercise can induce a stroke in people with highly blocked carotid arteries.
The scientists also said in a statement that for healthy people and those with only slightly blocked arteries, exercise is still beneficial for maintaining healthy blood flow.
Carotid arteries located on both sides of the neck supply blood to the brain and facial tissues.
Fat, cholesterol, and other particles building up inside the inner carotid walls can form a plaque that narrows the artery.
That narrowing is called stenosis, which is dangerous because it limits blood flow – and oxygen – to the brain and can cause a stroke. It also can be difficult to detect early in its development.
The elevated heart rate that comes with exercise in a healthy person stabilizes the drag force exerted on the vessel wall, reducing the risk of stenosis. However, the effect can be different for people already experiencing stenosis, the authors of the study said.
The research team used a computer model to simulate blood flow in carotid arteries at three stages of stenosis: without blockage, with a mild 30% blockage, and with a moderate 50% blockage.
They then compared those to the effect of an exercise-induced heart rate of 140 beats per minute as well as resting heart rates of 67 and 100 bpm.
As they expected, the exercise condition improved the…
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