Human brain scan in neurology clinic

A deadly stroke often caused by an aneurysm is on the rise nationwide, especially among African Americans. That is the finding in a study of more than 39,000 people hospitalized for non-traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage — caused by a ruptured aneurysm or high blood pressure rather than trauma.

A subarachnoid hemorrhage occurs when there is bleeding in the space between the brain and the membrane that covers it. It is often caused by an aneurysm or a bulge in a blood vessel that bursts or leaks. This type of stroke comprises between 5% to 10% of strokes but is rising in certain groups, especially older men and women and middle-aged men who are disproportionately Black.

High blood pressure is a common risk factor for stroke. Blacks are more likely to develop high blood pressure at an earlier age and not treat it. However, there could be other factors contributing to the rise in subarachnoid hemorrhages among that group, according to the study’s co-author.

“I truly believe that the underlying factors responsible, especially for the racial differences in subarachnoid hemorrhage, actually go beyond risk-factor control, but into other factors like access to health care, access to poverty and even structural racism,” Fadar Otite, MD, assistant professor of neurology at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY, said.

Signs of stroke include severe headache, vomiting, confusion, sleepiness or even coma for a short period of time. Nearly one in four deaths from cardiovascular disease in 2020 was due to stroke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability and reduces mobility in more than half of stroke survivors over the age of 65.