Certain gut microbes may affect stroke risk and severity, scientists find

Studies of ischaemic stroke patients open up possibility of treatments to prevent condition and improve recovery

Scientists have identified specific groups of gut microbes that could increase or decrease someone's risk of suffering the most common type of stroke. The research, presented at the European Stroke Organisation Conference (ESOC) in Lyon, France, adds to growing evidence that alterations in the gut microbiome could play a role in cardiovascular disease.

Previous studies have suggested that certain microbes may influence the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in the arteries, and that the gut microbiomes of stroke patients differ from those of healthy controls.