Head Injuries Triple Long-Term Risk of Early Death

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/01/140115172828.htm

Jan. 15, 2014 — Survivors of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are three times more likely to die prematurely than the general population, often from suicide or fatal injuries, finds an Oxford University-led study.

A TBI is a blow to the head that leads to a skull fracture, internal bleeding, loss of consciousness for longer than an hour or a combination of these symptoms. Michael Schumacher's recent skiing injury is an example of a TBI. Concussions, sometimes called mild TBIs, do not present with these symptoms and were analyzed separately in this study.

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Even relatively minor brain injuries, concussions, had a significant impact on early mortality. People with concussion were found to be twice as likely to die prematurely as the control population, with suicide and fatal injuries as the main causes of death. This raises issues surrounding concussions in a wide range of sports, from American football, rugby and soccer to baseball and cricket.

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