40 AND ABOVE

Strokes more common in springtime Strokes occur more often in the spring than any other season, and the heightened risk is seen in men, women, young and old alike. In a study of adults who had suffered a stroke between 1988 and 2001, researchers from Shiga University of Medical Science, Japan, found that the risk of having a stroke in the spring was roughly one-quarter higher than in summer. The findings, reported in the journal Stroke, are in line with some past studies showing that stroke rates tend to be higher in winter and spring. In this study, stroke risk was highest in March, April and May, regardless of known risk factors like high blood pressure, smoking and diabetes.