Men who live on their own have a much bigger risk of dying prematurely in the years after a stroke, a new study has found.

The research focused on almost 1,100 people who had suffered an ischaemic stroke. This type of stroke is caused by a sudden blockage in the blood vessels supplying blood to the brain. Up to 90% of strokes are ischaemic.

Swedish researchers compared the long-term prognosis for the stroke victims with 600 healthy controls.

They found that overall, 36% of people who lived alone died within 12 years of their stroke, compared to just 17% of those who lived with partners.

However, when it came to men, this gap widened, with 44% of men who lived alone dying prematurely, compared to 14% of those living with partners.

The results stood even when other factors were taken into account, such as high alcohol consumption and low physical activity levels.

"Among the conceivable causes are that people who live alone lead less healthy lives, are less prone to take their medication and tend to wait longer before going to the emergency room. For the healthy controls, excess mortality was also greater among men, particularly those living alone," commented Dr Petra Redfors of the University of Gothenburg.

Meanwhile, the study also found that many stroke victims were still experiencing cognitive, memory and concentration problems seven years after their stroke. The researchers noted that as many of these were still of working age, this could have a major impact on their personal, working and social lives.

"Our results underscore the importance of intensive, long-term prevention among stroke patients, including medication for hypertension, diabetes and other underlying conditions, along with lifestyle changes. Above all, serious consideration needs to be given to providing greater support and more thorough information for patients who are living alone," Dr Redfors added.