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 good news is that a 30-year-old has a better rate of recovery than an 80-year-old because of better brain plasticity," says Russman, referring to the brain's ability to adjust and learn new skills.
Stroke occurs in all age groups. Studies show the risk of stroke doubles for each decade between the ages of 55 and 85. But strokes also can occur in childhood or adolescence.
While only 15% of strokes occur in those aged 18-50, 120,000 Americans under 50 and 1.5 million young adults worldwide suffer strokes each year. The incidence of stroke in people ages 20-44 has risen from 17 per 100,000 in 1993 to 28 per 100,000 in 2015. The risk to patients in the prime of their lives is considerable.
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. How do the symptoms of stroke in young people differ from those in the older age group?
Approximately 10-15% of strokes occur in adults age 18-50. Many things have led to an increase in young adult strokes. Not only are people 50 and younger subject to typical risk factors—high blood pressure, blood clots, diabetes—they also face unique risks specific to lifestyle, pregnancy and genetics.
Causes of Strokes in Young People
Dr. Padmanabhan notes that while many of the risk factors for a stroke in younger and older adults are the same—smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, drug and alcohol abuse, and obesity—there are other conditions can increase your risk before the age of 45.
Some rare conditions can predispose some people to stroke at a young age. But most risk factors for stroke in young adults are similar to those in older adults: high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and obesity. These conditions are becoming more and more common among younger Americans.
The report indicates that in the United States, 10 to 15 percent of the people who have a stroke are young adults ages 18 to 45 years old. "We have to change the conversation about stroke from being something that affects an aging population to something that can affect every population," explains Dr. Ramchand.
Anyone can have a stroke, but some things put you at higher risk. And some things can lower your risk. If you're 55 and older, if you're African-American, if you're a man, or if you have a family history of strokes or heart attacks, your chances of having a stroke are higher.
For example, 79% of people survive 2 years, 61% survive 3 years, …, 5% survive 16 years, and only 1% survive 20 years.
How Does a Stroke Impact Life Expectancy? Despite the likelihood of making a full recovery, life expectancy after stroke incidents can decrease. Unfortunately, researchers have observed a wide range of life expectancy changes in stroke patients, but the average reduction in lifespan is nine and a half years.
Ischemic stroke in younger adults is far less common than that among older adults, yet the underlying pathogeneses and risk factors are more diverse. Approximately 10% to 15% of all strokes occur in adults aged 18 to 50 years.
People in the highest third of anxiety symptoms had a 33 percent higher stroke risk than those with the lowest levels. “Everyone has some anxiety now and then. But when it's elevated and/or chronic, it may have an effect on your vasculature years down the road,” said Maya Lambiase, Ph.
There are undeniable links between heart disease, stroke and stress. 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.
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.
A stroke can change your thinking and memory, and also how you see, hear and feel the world. This can affect how you feel about yourself, your family and friends. Thinking and memory skills are also known as cognitive skills.
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.
Some people will experience symptoms such as headache, numbness or tingling several days before they have a serious stroke.
A person experiencing a TIA might feel sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body, have slurred speech, have trouble seeing or talking, and feel confused. The person may experience a combination of these symptoms at the same time.