A large study presented at the European Stroke Organisation Conference 2026 suggests that both very low and very high resting heart rates may be linked to a higher risk of stroke. Researchers found a U-shaped relationship, with the lowest risk occurring at 60–69 beats per minute.
Heart rates above 90 bpm were tied to a 45% higher risk, while rates below 50 bpm showed a 25% increase.
Although the findings are observational, experts say resting heart rate could serve as a simple early warning sign. Still, factors like fitness and existing conditions must be considered before drawing conclusions.
Read more at LiveScience
