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Strokes Happening More to Younger People

(February 26, 2010) - More young people are having strokes (Read about "Stroke") while older people are having fewer, according to data from a two state study presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2010.

The average age of stroke patients in 2005 was nearly three years younger than the average age of stroke patients in 1993-1994 - a significant decrease, researchers said. Moreover, the percentage of people 20 to 45 having a stroke was up to 7.3 percent in 2005 from 4.5 percent in 1993-1994.

"This is scary and very concerning," said Brett M. Kissela, M.D., the study's lead author. "What was shocking was the proportion of patients under age 45. The proportion is up, the incidence rate is up."

Stroke has traditionally been considered a disease of old age, so the findings are of great public health significance because of the potential for greater lifetime burden of disability among younger patients.

Kissela said he became interested in studying the issue after observing an increase in young stroke patients admitted to his hospital.

Researchers examined data from a two state region, which includes about 1.3 million people. But Kissela said the trend noted is likely occurring throughout the United States because the higher prevalence of risk factors such as obesity and diabetes (Read about "Obesity" "Diabetes") seen in the young here are also seen throughout the country.

They recorded the age of people hospitalized for their first-ever stroke from the summer of 1993 to the summer of 1994, then compared it to calendar years 1999 and 2005.

In 1993-94, the average age of first stroke was 71.3 years old. The average age dropped to 70.9 in 1999 and was down to 68.4 by 2005.

The incidence rates for strokes in 20 to 45 year olds increased, although the increase was only statistically significant among whites, doubling from 12 per 100,000 people to 25 per 100,000.

Kissela said it's hard to know with certainty what is driving this change, but speculated the increased prevalence of diabetes, hypertension (Read about "Hypertension: High Blood Pressure") and obesity is a major contributor.