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Title: Low Dietary Or Serum Potassium Risk Factor For Stroke

URL: http://www.neurology.org/cgi/content/abstract/59/3/314

Neurology 2002;59:314-320 "Serum potassium level and dietary potassium intake as risk factors for stroke"
08/27/2002 12:48:33 PM
By Robert Short

Low serum potassium level or low dietary potassium are risk factors for stroke in both men and women who are over the age of 65. This is the conclusion of a prospective study of 5,600 men and women older than 65 year of age. All subjects were free of stroke at enrollment. The study was undertaken by DM Green, MD, of the Neuroscience Institute, The Queens Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States, and colleagues. The group studied serum potassium levels, dietary potassium intake, and diuretic use of the men and women for four to eight years. Diuretic users had an increased risk for stroke which was associated with lower serum potassium (relative risk 2.5;P<0.0001). People who did not use diuretics had an increased risk for stroke if they had low dietary potassium intake (relative risk 1.5;P<0.005). Lower serum potassium was associated with a particularly high risk for stroke in the small number of diuretic users with atrial fibrillation. Dr Green said, "The small number of diuretic users with lower serum potassium and atrial fibrillation had a 10-fold greater risk for stroke compared with those with higher serum potassium and normal sinus rhythm."

http://www.neurology.org/cgi/content/abstract/59/3/314

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