Access TeleCare Expert Applauds New Research Identifying Loneliness as Stroke Risk Factor

Elaine Jones, M.D., FAAN, medical director of quality and neurologist with Access TeleCare, shared her expert insight into new research on the link between chronic loneliness and an increased risk of stroke with Medscape Medical News.

In addition to extreme weather and prehospital delays, hospitals caring for stroke patients are also keeping an eye on chronic loneliness as a significant stroke risk factor for older patients. New research documents a 56 percent increase in stroke risk for people over the age of 50 identified as having chronic loneliness. The research was first published in eClinicalMedicine, part of The Lancet Discovery Science.

“We know that stress chemicals and hormones can be harmful to health over long durations of time,” Dr. Jones told Medscape when discussing chronic loneliness as a strong risk factor for stroke.  Dr. Jones also spoke about the need to continue researching loneliness as a risk factor and praised the researchers for “advancing the topic by looking at the chronicity aspect of loneliness.”

With new research revealing a wider range of stroke risks and introducing new layers of complexity to stroke care, timely access to neurology experts is essential for meeting patients’ care needs and maintaining up-to-date best practices. Access TeleCare’s teleStroke programs equip hospitals with timely access to board-certified neurologists to deliver excellent stroke care in minutes, supporting on-site teams and enhancing patient care.

Learn more about the benefits of a teleStroke program for hospitals and patients here.

Last year, Dr. Jones received the 2023 President’s Award from the American Academy of Neurology in recognition of her work with patients and her contributions to the field of neurology.