Although stroke is common among older adults, many people younger than 65 years also have strokes. In fact, about one in seven strokes occur in adolescents and young adults ages 15 to 49. Experts think younger people are having more strokes because more young people have obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
The majority of strokes occur in people who are 65 or older. As many as 10% of people in the U.S. who experience a stroke are younger than 45.
Unfortunately, stroke can happen to anyone of any age—and rates of stroke in patients under age 50 are on the rise. According to the American Heart Association, incidents of stroke have increased 40% among young U.S. adults over the past several decades. Approximately 10-15% of strokes occur in adults age 18-50.
Certain health conditions can also cause strokes in the young. We think of stroke as something that happens to older people. But every year, about 70,000 Americans under age 45 have strokes. About 10 to 15 percent of strokes occur in children and adults under age 45, and that number is rising.
The major risk factors for stroke include: High blood pressure. Diabetes. Heart and blood vessel diseases: Conditions that can cause blood clots or other blockages include coronary heart disease, atrial fibrillation, heart valve disease, and carotid artery disease.
Age. The older you are, the more likely you are to have a stroke. The chance of having a stroke about doubles every 10 years after age 55. Although stroke is common among older adults, many people younger than 65 years also have strokes.
Study participants who reported the highest stress levels were 33% more likely to have a stroke than those who felt less anxious or stressed. The greater the anxiety level, the higher the stroke risk, but even modest increases raised stroke risk.
“But anyone, even people who are relatively young and healthy, could potentially have a stroke.” While you can't do much about risk factors related to your age, gender or family history, there are four important things you can do to lower your risk of stroke — and improve your overall health: Stop smoking.
Stress can cause the heart to work harder, increase blood pressure, and increase sugar and fat levels in the blood. These things, in turn, can increase the risk of clots forming and travelling to the heart or brain, causing a heart attack or stroke.
Americans at risk for stroke
High blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity, and diabetes are leading causes of stroke. One in 3 U.S. adults has at least one of these conditions or habits. Learn how to take steps to prevent stroke.
A stroke keeps blood from reaching the brain and leads to brain tissue damage. About 10% of people who experience a stroke eventually develop severe pain that is called post-stroke pain, central pain, or thalamic pain (after the part of the brain typically affected).
Call 9-1-1 immediately if any of these signs of stroke appear: Numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg; Confusion or trouble speaking or understanding speech; Trouble seeing in one or both eyes; Trouble walking, dizziness, or problems with balance; severe headache with no known cause.
Chronic stress directly impacts the cardiovascular system, which damages the arteries when left unmanaged. Vascular damage can eventually lead to a stroke, which is a medical emergency caused by a clogged or burst artery in the brain.
A silent stroke refers to a stroke that doesn't cause any noticeable symptoms. Most strokes are caused by a clot that blocks a blood vessel in the brain. The blockage prevents blood and oxygen from reaching that area, causing nearby brain cells to die.
If you want to avoid a stroke the first step is to understand your individual risk factors. Up to 90% of strokes could be prevented by addressing a small number of risk factors, including hypertension, diet, smoking and exercise.
Warning signs of an ischemic stroke may be evident as early as seven days before an attack and require urgent treatment to prevent serious damage to the brain, according to a study of stroke patients published in the March 8, 2005 issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
The best way to help prevent a stroke is to eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and avoid smoking and drinking too much alcohol. These lifestyle changes can reduce your risk of problems like: arteries becoming clogged with fatty substances (atherosclerosis) high blood pressure.
Atrial fibrillation is a heart rhythm problem which raises your risk of a stroke. AF makes you five times more likely to have a stroke.
Drink a lot of water: You should drink at least five glasses of water per day, and this will reduce your risk of stroke by 53%, according to a recent study by Loma Linda University.
Foods high in potassium, such as sweet and white potatoes, bananas, tomatoes, prunes, melon and soybeans, can help you maintain a healthy blood pressure — the leading risk factor of stroke. Magnesium-rich foods, such as spinach, are also linked to a lower risk of stroke.