06/03/2026
Dehydration & Stroke Risk
As people age, they are more prone to dehydration due to a reduced sense of thirst. A new analysis suggests that dehydration may raise the risk of stroke. Researchers studied health record data on more than 3 million adults 80 or older. They identified 560,000 who had experienced dehydration and found these people were four times more likely to have a stroke caused by a hemorrhage, when compared to those who were not dehydrated. They also had twice the risk of a stroke caused by a blood clot and were three times more likely to have a TIA (transient ischemic attack). These results don't prove dehydration causes stroke, but only an association.