Stroke in young people: Danger for everyone!
Stroke in young people is a case of people under 45 years old having a stroke, due to cerebral hemorrhage or cerebral vascular occlusion. If in the past, stroke cases usually only occurred in middle-aged and elderly people (over 65 years old), now, stroke is increasingly occurring in younger people.
According to statistics from the World Stroke Association, in 2022, more than 16% of people with strokes were between the ages of 15 and 49 (out of a total of 12.2 million new stroke cases). In Vietnam, the rate of young and middle-aged people with strokes accounts for 1/3 of all stroke cases. The rate of stroke in young people is also increasing at 2% per year, with the number of male patients being 4 times higher than that of female patients.
It can be seen that although the risk of stroke increases as we age, this does not mean that young people are not at risk of stroke. Anyone, young or old, can be attacked by a stroke at any time.
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Stroke in young people is at high risk for this group of people
People with cerebral vascular malformations
This is a leading cause of stroke in young people. Abnormal development of cerebral blood vessels will cause aneurysms leading to hemorrhagic stroke or blood vessels can be dissected causing narrowing - also known as cerebral infarction. Cerebral vascular malformations can be detected early through contrast computed tomography of cerebral blood vessels, or magnetic resonance imaging of cerebral blood vessels.
Regular smoker
According to statistics, about 50% of young people with strokes are regular smokers or passive smokers. Cigarettes contain about 7,000 toxic chemicals, which are transported into the blood after being absorbed into the lungs, thereby destroying cells in the body, increasing the risk of atherosclerosis and damage to cerebral blood vessels.
People with lipid metabolism disorders
Studies have shown that the ratio of Apolipoprotein B and Apoprotein A-I (ApoB/ApoA-I) is associated with ischemic stroke. For young people, unhealthy eating habits such as fast food, processed foods, etc. will increase the risk of vascular diseases.
Obese, sedentary people
About 10% of young people with stroke are overweight (BMI >30), in addition, waist and hip measurements are also more closely related to stroke risk.
People with diabetes and high blood pressure
30% of strokes in young people are caused by diabetes and high blood pressure is about 10%. Due to unhealthy eating habits and environmental pollution, the age of diabetes is getting younger.
Stimulant users
The main stimulant causing stroke in young people is alcohol. Heavy alcohol consumption is closely linked to increased brain bleeding.
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Signs of stroke in young people
Signs of stroke in young people are often the same as in adults, including: Numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, usually on one side of the body; difficulty speaking or understanding what others are saying; dizziness or loss of balance; sudden, severe headache; visual disturbances, such as blurred or double vision; difficulty swallowing; nausea or vomiting; confusion and coma.
If the patient has any of these symptoms, quickly take the patient to the nearest medical facility or call 115 for emergency help.
What should young people do to prevent stroke?
- Young people need to have an active lifestyle as well as a suitable diet and increase exercise and physical activity every day;
- Good control of risk factors causing stroke in young people such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, quitting smoking, limiting the use of stimulants,... is the best method to prevent stroke and stroke recurrence.
- Regular health check-ups to detect and treat diseases that can increase the risk of stroke.
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