New research shows that head injuries are directly linked to increased death rates.
The 30-year study found that adults who sustained a head injury had two (2.21) times the death rate as those who did not, according to research from the Perelman School of Medicine from the University of Pennsylvania.
The study, published by JAMA Neurology on January 23, also found that death rates in people with moderate to severe head injuries were almost three (2.87) times higher.
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Fox News medical contributor Dr. Marc Siegel called it an «important study,» in a statement he sent to Fox News Digital, because it followed 13,000 subjects across three decades.
“The implications are that once you have a head injury (or if you are injury prone) your ability to function is compromised – putting you more at risk. [risk] life-threatening events,” said Siegel, a professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York.
A medical professional examines an x-ray of a patient’s head; the man had suffered a head injury.
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These events may include an increased likelihood of falling or suffering from other comorbidities that may go unrecognized or untreated.
Siegel added that patients are also more likely not to take medication or not to defend themselves.
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More than 23 million adults in the United States over the age of 40 have reported suffering a head injury with loss of consciousness, according to medicalxpress.com.
The implications of the study «are that once you have a head injury (or if you are prone to injury), your ability to function is compromised,» said Dr. Marc Siegel, a medical contributor to Fox News, at Fox News Digital.
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Head injuries can occur in many ways, including accidental falls, vehicle accidents, and sports injuries.
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It has also been linked to long-term health problems such as late-onset epilepsy, dementia and strokes, the website wrote in a report.
The study specifically investigated patients with head injuries – from 1987 to 2019 – who live in the community, i.e. not hospitalized or in nursing homes.
A motorist with a head injury gets out of her car after an accident.
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During the study period, 18.4% of patients reported having suffered one or more head injuries, while 12.4% of injuries were considered moderate or severe.
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The median time between injury and death was 4.7 years, reported medicalxpress.com.
The researchers also looked at the specific causes of death among the participants, which were most often cancers, cardiovascular disease and neurological disorders.
A new study found that death rates in people with moderate to severe head injuries were almost three (2.87) times higher than in those without head injuries.
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Two-thirds of these deaths from neurological disorders were caused by neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
The findings underscore the continued need for brain injury prevention strategies, according to the study.
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Dr Siegel said this includes effective protection such as seat belts, as well as «comfortable» helmets that are not projectiles.
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“Too many cyclists forget to wear their helmet,” he added.