If you know anyone who has suffered from a brain aneurysm, you'll want to pay attention to a study from the Netherlands that found that such common activities as drinking coffee, having sex or even blowing your nose could trigger a stroke.
The researchers, whose study was reported in Stroke: The Journal of the American Heart Association, warn that their findings do not apply to everyone – only to people who have an untreated aneurysm, which is a weakness in a blood vessel wall in the brain. A rupture can lead to a stroke.
The Dutch researchers found 250 people who had had a stroke when a brain aneurysm erupted and found they had been exposed to a number of possible triggers for a stroke. Drinking coffee and vigorous exercise had the highest risk, apparently because they temporarily increase blood pressure.
If you have an untreated aneurysm, you should ask your doctor whether it might be a good idea to avoid the following triggers:
And for more about aneurysms, check out the American Stroke Association.