Mediterranean diet and physical activity protect from silent brain infarcts in a cohort of patients with atrial fibrillation

Abstract

Several studies have demonstrated that Mediterranean diet (MeD) has beneficial effects in the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD)1,2 globally but also in stroke prevention.3,4 However, there are few data of the influence of MeD in silent brain infarcts (SBI). Physical activity is also a well-known protective factor for CVD and stroke.5 Atrial fibrillation (AF) increases the risk of overt stroke and also SBI. We hypothesize that a healthy lifestyle would reduce the rate of SBI among AF patients. The aim of this study is to determine the association of a healthy profile (the combination of a good MeD adherence plus high level of physical activity) and the prevalence of SBI in a population with AF.