A stroke occurs when a blood clot blocks blood flow to an organ or body part. It can happen in many areas of the body with fatal results, since the lack of blood implies an absence of oxygen that can cause irreversible damage or the death of certain areas or organs. However, watching tv can cause a stroke, mainly pulmonary, according to a European study.
And it is that sitting for four hours a day or more in front of the screen represents a 35% greater risk of producing clots in the blood that can lodge in any part of the body, but mainly in the lungs and legs, causing a pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis.
To reach this conclusion, the authors of the research analyzed the scientific evidence already published regarding the link between this sedentary habit and the risk of suffering venous thromboembolism (VTE).
Según el National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, VTE is a disorder that includes deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism due to an abnormal blood clot. A deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when a blood clot forms in a deep vein, usually in the lower leg, thigh, or pelvis. A pulmonary embolism (PE) occurs when a clot breaks loose and travels through the bloodstream to the lungs.
The research, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, included the study of television viewing habits of 131,421 participants aged 40 years or older without existing VTE. The group that watched TV for four hours a day or more developed VTE more often than the group that sat down to watch it for less than 2.5 hours a day.
Experts point out that the main problem with this habit and its relationship with VTE lies in the lack of physical activity, which is why they suggest that take breaks every 30 minutes when watching television in which the viewer stands up, stretches, or even gets on a stationary bike for a few minutes. The same strategy is essential if the work carried out is sedentary and involves sitting for long periods. This will help prevent blood from pooling in the extremities instead of circulating through the body, causing blood clots. Also, it is advisable not to combine television with unhealthy meals.
“These findings indicate that regardless of physical activity, body mass index, age, and gender, watching many hours of television is a risky activity when it comes to developing blood clots, explained the main author of the research, Dr. Setor Kunutsor, from the University of Bristol.
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eldiariony.com
Eddie is an Australian news reporter with over 9 years in the industry and has published on Forbes and tech crunch.