Is exercise to blame for Andrew Marr's stroke?

Much of the media is reporting on an interview given by broadcaster and journalist Andrew Marr, who is recovering from a stroke he had in January 2013. In the interview, Marr explained that he had two 'mini-strokes' – or transient ischaemic attacks – the year before, but he "hadn't noticed". Marr suggested that his stroke was triggered by vigorous exercise on a rowing machine, saying, "I'm frankly lucky to be alive". But can exercise actually be bad for your health? It all depends on the type of exercise you are doing and your individual circumstances. It is worth noting that almost all of us can safely reduce our stroke risk through moderate exercise.    What are strokes and mini-strokes? A stroke is a serious medical emergency where the supply of blood to the brain is disrupted. In over 80% of cases, strokes usually happen because a blood clot blocks the blood supply to the brain. They can also happen when a weakened blood vessel that supplies the brain bursts and causes brain damage, known as a haemorrhagic stroke. From the account given in his interview, Andrew Marr could have had either an ischaemic or a haemorrhagic stroke: "I'd torn the carotid artery, which takes blood into the brain, and had a stroke overnight." A mini-stroke, or transient ischaemic attack (TIA), is similar to a stroke but the symptoms only last a few minutes. Due to the short duration of symptoms, many people are unaware they have had a TIA, as was...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Lifestyle/exercise Neurology QA articles Source Type: news