Stroke risk increasing in younger people, 'concerning' report finds

02 June 2024 , 07:00

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While usually thought of as a disease of the elderly, strokes are on the rise in younger groups, the new study shows (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A new report from health officials suggests that the number of strokes occurring in younger people is rising in a development called “concerning” by health experts.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report found that the risk of stroke in people under the age of 65 has been growing over the past 10 years. This contrasts with older Americans, who, while still the most at risk of stroke overall, have not seen any increase over the past 10 years.

The risk for younger adults remains low overall, relatively speaking, but the fact that it has been on the rise in recent years is cause for concern, experts say. The increasing likelihood of stroke has been linked to the rising rates of obesity and high blood pressure in under 65s.

Researchers at the CDC found that the prevalence of stroke grew by nearly 8% in self-reported health data from 2020-2022 compared to 2011-2013. In particular young adults were severely affected with those aged 18-44 years reporting a 14.6% increase in stroke prevalence. Meanwhile, for adults in the 45-64 category, it increased by 15.7%.

Stroke are commonly thought of as primarily affecting older people, with the average age of a stroke victim in the 70s. This makes the new CDC findings all the more disconcerting.

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As well as age, level of income, education and racial background have an impact on your chances of having a stroke (Getty Images/Science Photo Library RF)

“This report is concerning because in the younger population, the stroke rates are going up. And they’ve also noted that the rates of obesity and hypertension have been increasing in younger folks.” said Gregory W. Albers, MD, Director of the Stanford Stroke Center at Stanford Medical Center. “That’s a bad sign,” he told Healthline. He was not affiliated with the report.

Overall the risk of stroke for young adults is low, 0.9% for the 18-44 group and 3.8% for the 45-64. Those 65 and older have a 7.7% risk, but while this remains unchanged the risk is continuing to grow for the other two groups.

While there is no solid evidence it is a safe bet that the increase in reports of obesity and hypertension in these younger groups may be a contributing factor to the rising risk of stroke. According to the new CDC report the number of people with high blood pressure rose by more than 6% among adults aged 45-64 between 1999-2000 and 2017-2018.

Levels of poverty and race also play a major factor in who is at most risk of strokes, the data shows. Adults with less than a high school education saw the single largest increase in stroke prevalence of any other groups: 18.2%

Meanwhile, Stroke is most prevalent among American Indian/Alaska Native (5.3%), followed by Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (4.4%) and Black adults (4.3%). It is lowest among Asian adults (1.5%). Stroke prevalence increased among Black (7.8%), White (7.2%), and Hispanic (16.1%) adults over the surveillance period.

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