Higher rate of suicide in stroke survivors, suggests study

Mar 14, 2021

New Delhi, Mar 15 (ANI): Stroke survivors may be more likely to attempt or die by suicide than people who have not had a stroke, suggest the findings of a new study. The findings of the research will be presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2021. This study will be simultaneously published in the American Heart Association's journal Stroke. Rates of depression among stroke survivors range from 28 per cent to 35 per cent, and stroke is considered an independent risk factor for depression. Since depression after a stroke has been associated with increased suicidal thoughts, researchers sought to quantify and understand the risk of suicide after stroke. "Recognising that stroke may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts will help stroke survivors, their families, and health care professionals to identify and hopefully reduce these risks," said study author Manav V. Vyas, M.B.B.S., M.Sc., clinical associate in neurology at the University of Toronto in Canada. Vyas added, "It is important we investigate this issue because nearly 15 million people worldwide have a stroke each year, of which approximately 10 million survive. Stroke survivors have physical and mental health consequences and may be more likely to attempt suicide or die by suicide." Researchers searched multiple international medical databases including MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar from the inception of each database to September 15, 2020, using keywords and database-specific subject headings for stroke and suicide. They analysed 23 published studies that included more than two million stroke survivors to examine the association between stroke and suicide. More than 5,500 of those survivors attempted suicide or died by suicide.