Living in a war zone increases heart disease and stroke risk years after conflict ends, study finds

People who live in war zones may have a higher risk of heart disease and stroke even years after the conflict has ended, research has shown.1

In a systematic review by Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, researchers found that conflicts were linked to an increased risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, raised blood pressure and cholesterol, and increased alcohol and tobacco use.

The findings should be considered by governments leading public health efforts during and after conflicts, said the researchers. But they also highlighted that getting high quality data in this area is difficult …