People with type A blood at slightly higher risk of having a stroke, researchers say

BOSTON - Could your blood type put you at a higher risk of stroke at an early age? 

The number of people experiencing a stroke at an early age is rising but it is unclear why. In an attempt to answer this question, researchers at the University of Maryland looked at 48 prior studies and found that people with blood type A were at a 16-percent higher risk of having a stroke before the age of 60, and people with blood type O had a 12-percent lower risk than people with other blood types.

Keep in mind, the increased risk associated with type A blood was small, so people with this blood type should not worry about having an early stroke. But scientists want to investigate further to see why there appears to be an association.

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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