Stroke rates among adults under 55 nearly doubled in 30 years

The stroke rate among adults aged 20-54 in the United States nearly doubled over the past 30 years. Experts point out that risk factors such as high blood pressure and obesity are also increasing among younger people.

Stroke cases are increasing among young and middle-aged adults in the United States. The issue returned to the spotlight after Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut was hospitalized on October 31 after suffering a stroke at age 53. Murphy's chief of staff said they were optimistic that the senator would make a full recovery.

Data compiled by fact-checking website PolitiFact shows that the incidence of stroke among adults aged 20-54 rose from 33.9 per 100,000 people in 1993-94 to 62.18 in 2020. The rate declined among older adults during the same period, although strokes remain far more common among older people overall.

Researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also found that stroke prevalence increased by 14.6 percent among people aged 18-44 and by 15.7 percent among those aged 45-64 when they compared data from 2011-13 with data from 2020-22.

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There is no single explanation for the increase, but risk factors such as high blood pressure and obesity are also becoming more common among younger people. A study conducted in Florida found that vascular risk factors, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes and sleep apnea, were increasingly common among patients aged 18-55 who experienced the most common type of stroke between 2014 and 2022.

Experts recommend quitting smoking and recreational drug use, eating a balanced diet rich in vegetables and fruit, staying physically active, and keeping blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol under control to reduce the risk. Neurologist Dr. Aaron Shoskes of the University of Utah said regular medical checkups can identify risk factors early, adding, "Early intervention makes a big difference."

Stroke rates among adults under 55 nearly doubled in 30 years