close

Stroke becoming more common in young people

By Tara Rack-Amber trackamber@heraldstandard.Com 3 min read

In February, 26-year-old Pittsburgh Penguin Kris Letang suffered a stroke caused by a very small hole in the wall of his heart that he had since birth.

In 2013, “Malcolm in the Middle” television star Frankie Muniz suffered two mini-strokes at the age of 27. The reasons for the strokes are still unknown.

The current statistics are indicating that strokes, which traditionally have been equated with a condition in the elderly, have been occurring in a larger number of people at an earlier age.

According to John Hopkins Medicine, “Up to 10 percent of strokes may occur in relatively young individuals (under 45 years of age) and represent a challenge in terms of diagnosis and treatment.”

In a report published last fall in the medical journal Neurology, further conclusion has been made that strokes are becoming more common in young adults and adolescents, and experts said there has been limited research that has addressed stroke in young people.

Statistics indicate that in the United States, stroke is the fourth leading cause of death and is responsible for killing more than 133,000 people each year, and is also a leading cause of serious, long-term adult disability.

The National Stroke Association lists two major types of strokes: Ischemic stroke and Hemorrhagic stroke.

Ischemic stroke happens when arteries are blocked by blood clots or the build up for plaque and fat deposits in the arteries. Eighty-seven percent of strokes are this type.

Hemorrhagic stroke happens when a blood vessel located in the brain breaks and leaks blood into the brain. While this type of stroke only accounts for 13 percent of all strokes, it is responsible for more than 30 percent of stroke related deaths.

There are many risk factors related to stroke.

According to Lori Matthews, the stroke coordinator for Uniontown Hospital, people have some say in the prevention of stroke.

“There are factors you can control and there are those you can’t,” she said. “They (young people) need to make sure they see their doctor. They want to make sure they eat right, no smoking and exercise is important.”

When a person is having a “brain attack” or stroke, there are various symptoms that can indicate this.

“Any kind of symptoms like a sudden onset of a headache you haven’t had before or slurred speech,” said Matthews. “You have some people who have the TIA (mini-stroke) and they don’t think it is important to come to the hospital.”

Anyone having any symptoms that might possibly be related to stroke, Matthews encourages them to come to the hospital for evaluation.

“It is important for people to call 9-1-1. The care is faster,” she said. “The people on the ambulance are trained and tPA (tissue plasminogen activator which can break down blood clots) can be given.”

The National Stroke Association wants people to be on the lookout for F.A.S.T. when it comes to stroke. F is for Face, an uneven smile can indicate a stroke. A is for arm, where people can check to see if one is weaker than the other. S is for speech, people are encouraged to listen for slurred speech. T is for time to call 9-1-1 right away if any of these symptoms are present.

CUSTOMER LOGIN

If you have an account and are registered for online access, sign in with your email address and password below.

NEW CUSTOMERS/UNREGISTERED ACCOUNTS

Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe, click the Subscribe button below.

Starting at $4.79/week.

Subscribe Today