Exercise May Reduce  Mortality Risk by 54% in Individuals who had Stroke

According to a study published in Neurology, walking at least 3 to 4 hours per week, biking at least 2 to 3 hours per week, or an equivalent amount of exercise after a stroke approximately halved all-cause mortality rates. Overall risk of mortality was reduced by 80% when individuals under the age of 75 exercised at least that amount.

In the stroke group of the study, only 15% of the people who exercised the 3 to 4 hours a week died during follow up compared with the 33%, who did not do the recommended exercise. In the nonstroke group, only 4% of the individuals who exercised died compared with the 8% who did not.
 
In those under age 75, 11% who exercised died compared with 29% of those who did not. Individuals under  age 75 who had a stroke and exercised at least the minimum amount recommended were about 80% less likely to die during study follow-up. Individuals more than age 75 who also exercised were 32% less likely to die.

“A better understanding of the role of physical activity in the health of people who survive stroke is needed to design better exercise therapies and public health campaigns so we can help these individuals live longer,” said study author Raed A. Joundi, MD, DPhil, of the University of Calgary in Canada and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. “Our results are exciting, because just 3 to 4 hours a week of walking was associated with big reductions in mortality, and that may be attainable for many community members with prior stroke. In addition, we found people achieved even greater benefit with walking 6 to 7 hours per week. These results might have implications for guidelines for stroke survivors in the future.”
 
 The researchers in the study evaluated 895 individuals, average age of 72, who had a prior stroke and 97,805 individuals, average age 63, who never had a stroke. There was a weekly physical evaluation and questionnaire about the exercise performed by each person. In the study, frequency and duration of each type of physical activity was used to calculate the amount of exercise. However, the individuals evaluated may not have accurately reported their amount of exercise.