Medical expert of the article
New publications
Easy test predicts fatal stroke
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
The test, which subjects undergo before signs of a stroke appear, involves drawing lines that connect numbers in descending order in the shortest possible time.
According to the results of the study, which was published in the journal BMJ Open, men who demonstrated the worst results had a three-fold higher risk of dying after their first stroke than those who took the top places after passing the test.
The research was conducted over 14 years and involved 1,000 subjects aged 67 to 75 years.
Scientists think such studies can detect hidden damage to brain blood vessels when there are no other obvious signs.
Stroke is a silent killer
Dr Claire Walton, from the British Stroke Association, said the findings were intriguing.
"This study shows early changes in the brain that increase the risk of stroke," she says. "The test is limited and it is not yet clear what exactly is causing the patients' ability to draw lines to deteriorate. However, there is now a chance to identify those for whom the risk of stroke is too high."
The head of the group of scientists, doctor Bernice Wiberg from the Uppsala Institute (Sweden), agrees with her.
"This is a very easy test, it is cheap and available for medical use. Along with measuring blood pressure, it can become a useful tool in assessing the risk of stroke, as well as in monitoring the mortality rate after stroke," she thinks.
More than 150,000 people suffer a stroke in Britain every year.
[