Strokes Hit More Under-50 Adults as 1 in 7 Cases Strike Ages 15 to 49
Updated
Updated · WBAY · May 20
Strokes Hit More Under-50 Adults as 1 in 7 Cases Strike Ages 15 to 49
5 articles · Updated · WBAY · May 20
Roughly 1 in 7 strokes now occur in people ages 15 to 49, with experts in Wisconsin saying the average stroke age is falling and cases under 50 are no longer uncommon.
Preventable risk factors are driving that shift, including obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, stress, pregnancy and birth control, while stroke risk still doubles every 10 years after age 55.
Only 38% of patients knew the major stroke symptoms and to call 911, according to the CDC, despite the need for rapid treatment to expand options and improve outcomes.
Doctors urge people to use the "BE FAST" warning-sign checklist—balance, eyes, face, arm, speech and terrible headache—because a prior stroke or mini-stroke sharply raises the risk of another.
With 80% of strokes preventable, why are they surging in working-age adults who should be in their prime?
Is our modern lifestyle creating a new generation of stroke victims before they even reach middle age?