STROKE

Older men may benefit from more-demanding exercise.

The question: Might exercise help keep older people from having a stroke?

This study analyzed data on 3,298 people who averaged 69 years old. Nearly three-fourths of them had high blood pressure. About 41 percent were physically inactive, 39 percent regularly exercised lightly (golf, walking, dancing) and 20 percent said they participated in moderate- to high-intensity exercise (tennis, swimming, jogging, biking). In a nine-year span, 238 of the participants had a stroke caused by a blood clot. Among men, those who exercised with moderate to high intensity were 63 percent less likely to have had a stroke than were inactive men. In women, however, physical activity had no effect on the chances of having a stroke.

Who may be affected? Older people. Although a stroke can occur at any age, risk increases with age, and two-thirds of all strokes occur in those older than 65. Strokes strike men more often than women.

Caveats: Data on physical activity came from the participants' answers on questionnaires. The authors suggested that participation in higher-intensity exercise ``may have been indicative of overall well-being.''

Find this study: Nov. 24 issue of Neurology.

Learn more about stroke at www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders and www.strokeassociation.org.

HEART ATTACK

Suppressing anger at work may not be heart-healthy.

The question: When people think they're treated unfairly at work, does the way they deal with their anger affect the health of their heart?

This study involved 2,755 male employees, 41 years old on average, who never had suffered a heart attack. About a fourth of them were supervisors. In the next 10 years, 47 had a heart attack or died of heart disease. Men who used avoidance tactics to deal with conflict or unfair treatment at work -- including walking away from the situation or letting things pass without saying anything -- were twice as likely to have had a heart attack or died of heart disease as were men who openly expressed their anger. Risk was highest for those who walked away.

Who may be affected? Men who experience job-related stress or anger. Some studies have linked emotionally upsetting events, especially those involving anger, with heart problems.

Caveats: Behavioral data came from the men's responses on a questionnaire. The study did not suggest what might be healthier coping strategies.

Find this study: Nov. 24 online issue of the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.

Learn more about heart attacks at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health and www.mayoclinic.com.

-- LINDA SEARING