Eyes show stroke risk

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Looking at small changes in the blood vessels of the eyes may help show who is at risk of stroke.
The tiny blood vessels in the retina may show changes before someone has a stroke, according to new work from doctors at the University of Sydney, Australia. They looked at 3,654 patients aged 49 or older. Special photographs of the retina were taken, so that retinopathy - characteristic changes in the blood vessels - could be revealed.

The participants were followed up for seven years and those with retinopathy proved 70 per cent more likely to have a stroke. The risk was higher among those who did not already have high blood pressure. The study suggests that a regular eye check involving monitoring for retinopathy can help identify those at risk of stroke. Since this includes those without high blood pressure - another warning sign - it could be helped to prevent even more strokes than existing monitoring procedures.

Source
Neurology 11th October 2005

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