Troubling Rise in Strokes in Young Adults, Starting at Age 25

watching tvBy Francisco Flores

Lifestyle risk factors for stroke found in older adults, such as obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure, is now more prevalent in young adults.  Lack of physical activity or movement is a leading cause.

There’s a new troubling statistic in the United States when it comes to strokes. Although stroke hospitalizations have declined in recent years among the aged, the opposite appears to be happening among younger Americans. In a study released this year in the Journal of the American Heart Association, researchers found that between 2000 and 2010, hospitalizations for ischemic stroke, the most common type, dropped nearly 20 percent overall. However, among people ages 25 to 44, there was a sharp, 44 percent, increase. Ischemic stroke accounts for about 80 percent of all strokes and occurs when a blood vessel in the neck or brain is blocked. Deprived of blood’s oxygen and vital nutrients, brain cells begin to die and the abilities controlled by that part of the brain, like muscular control or speech, are compromised.

Doctors attribute the apparent rise in strokes among younger adults to the same lifestyle risk factors traditionally found in older patients, such as obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure. It should be noted, for a small portion of young adults, strokes may be caused by rare conditions, like congenital heart defects, or injury to the arteries in the neck, which can be caused by even minor trauma. For the majority of young adults, inactivity is the primary cause of obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure, leading to the increase in strokes. It is essential that parents instill the importance of exercise in their children at a young age. Participation in recreational sports or activities is a fun way to do that.

Resources

Wallace, Jennifer Breheny. (2016).Researchers document troubling rise in strokes in young adults, starting at age 25. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/05/11/researchers-document-troubling-rise-in-strokes-in-young-adults-starting-at-age-25/

About the Author

Francisco Flores is an ACE Certified Fitness Professional with BaySport who has been immersed in the world of fitness for more than 25 years. Over that time, he has helped thousands of people reach their fitness goals.

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