The risk of stroke in young people has risen dramatically! JAMA is here to give you a wake-up call

Executive Summary

A study of more than 94,000 people, published in JAMA on August 9, analysed the incidence
of new stroke cases in Oxfordshire over the past 20 years.
The findings suggest a sharp increase in stroke rates among young people
.

Study screenshots

status quo

Stroke is a major health problem that can have devastating consequences
.
It occurs when the blood supply to the brain is cut off, causing the death of brain cells and dysfunction
of one or more parts of the brain.
Restricted blood supply may be the result of blocked arterial blood supply to the brain, rupture of blood vessels leading to intracerebral hemorrhage, or transient reduction of
cerebral blood supply.

Dr.
Angela Hind, CEO of the Medical Research Foundation, said:

• Historically, we thought stroke only affected older people, but studies like this show that younger people are a growing
  problem.
  

  
  

• Stroke in young people can have a huge impact, often when they start a family or already have young children to care for and have not yet reached the peak
  of their careers.
  

conclusion

Using data from the Oxford Vascular Study, the researchers explored whether stroke rates changed between 2002 and older people in young and old people, which included 94,567 people
registered at GP clinics in Oxfordshire.

Morbidity refers to the number of people
who have had a specific disease or health-related event (in this case, stroke) over a specific period of time.

The researchers also considered other factors such as lifestyle, changes in diagnostic practice, control of traditional vascular risk factors, and sex-specific causes
of stroke.

They found:

• Between 2002-2010 and 2010-2018, stroke rates increased by 67% among young people (under 55 years of age) and decreased by 15%
  among older people (aged 55 years or older).
  

  
  

• For other vascular events, such as heart attacks, no similar differences
  in incidence were found.
  

prospect

Dr Linxin Li, a researcher at the Medical Research Foundation at the University of Oxford, said:

• Our research shows a worrying rise in young stroke cases across Oxfordshire, reflecting similar conditions
  in other high-income countries.
  

  
  

• Identifying the importance of known risk factors in young stroke will help raise general awareness
  of the need for better control.
  

  
  

• We also need better ways to identify young people at high risk of stroke, as current risk models are based on predictors of stroke in older adults
  .
  

Dr.
Angela Hind, CEO of the Medical Research Foundation, said:

• The economic, social and personal consequences could be devastating
  .
  

  
  

• More research is needed to increase understanding of the causes of stroke in young people and to explore the best ways
  to prevent it.
  That's why we support researchers like Dr.
  Li, because they are pushing the boundaries
  of knowledge around young stroke.
  

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