This was confirmed by recent studies, conducted both in the United States and in Europe: Ischemic stroke in young adults is increasingjust as the prevalence of traditional stroke risk factors is also increasing, typically common among the elderly (hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, use of tobacco and obesity).
The most widespread belief is in fact that brain stroke is a pathology associated exclusively with elderly people, which is true because it is the incidence (i.e. the number of new cases per year) and the prevalence (number of people affected by the pathology, in a given historical moment, in a given population) increase with the advance of age.
Now, though, Alice. Italy ODVthe association for the fight against cerebral strokes, wants turn on the spotlight on the growing number of cases which also occurs among young adultswith an inevitable devastating impact on the life of those who are affected: About 10-15% of all strokes occur in adults aged between 18 and 50, with a significant prevalence in the female sex.
“This phenomenon seems attributable not only to the failure to prevent the classic risk factors but also to peculiar conditions of the younger age such as the presence of genetic predispositions and the spread of alcohol and drug abuse, known for the ability to encourage the onset of stroke or to increase their risk: young people seem to underestimate the risk factors, rarely undergoing medical checks”, explains the Professor Marina Diomedi, Head of Uosd Stroke Unit, Policlinico Tor Vergata Polyclinic Foundation and member of the technical-scientific committee of Alice. Italy ODV. “The onset of stroke in young-adults is also associated with a greater rate of mortality and, above all, with an increase in permanent disability, all the more serious considering the long life expectancy of those who survive the stroke”, the specialist points out. But what exactly are the possible causes of a stroke of youth age?
The 6 main risk factors for strokes in young people
THE’hypertension It is one of the main risk factors for stroke in adulthood, but even among young people it can have serious consequences, as well as thehypercholesterolemia (cause of formation of coronary and carotid plates) because they are not always diagnosed and treated adequately.
I am At least 4 million Italians who coexist with this pathology, about 500,000 those with the type 1 diabetes (also called insulin-dependent) and over 3 and a half million those with the type 2 diabeteslinked to obesity and an incorrect lifestyle. The excess of sugar in the blood can harden blood vessels, making circulation more difficult and, consequently, causing the accumulation of plates on the walls of the arteries. In the presence of diabetes, the process of atherosclerosis It occurs more quickly and the risk of cerebral stroke doubles.
It has been shown that Cigarette smoke is associated with an increased risk of stroke in young peopleespecially if in association with other risk factors. The increase in risk is about 40% in modest smokers (<10 sigarette al giorno) e dell’80% circa nei forti fumatori (>20 cigarettes per day). The increase in risk is greater in young people, being about 3 times in subjects under the age of 55, while only about 1.5 times in the older subjects. In the woman it is known that the association of smoke, migraine with aura and intake of progestogeal flair is predisposing to systemic thromboembolism and ischemic stroke.
4. Alcohol content
THE’alcohol abusevery frequent in young subjects, is considered a risk factor for ischemic stroke and for the hemorrhagic one; It would act both as a classic risk factor, increasing by 3-4 times the probability of incurring an episode of cerebrovascular pathology, and as a precipitating factor, which determines, that is, the onset of the acute event, on the occasion of a strong “drink” (with binge drinking We mean the habit of consuming an excessive amount of alcohol in a short period of time, with the aim of achieving a state of drunkenness). The risk increases proportionally to the amount of alcohol assumed.
The abuse of substances such as cocaine And amphetamine It is a significant risk factor for the onset of stroke. These substances, in fact,, they increase blood pressure And damage blood vesselsfavoring the Training of clots.
In young women under the age of 45, themigraine with aura It is considered an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction. This risk of about 3 times multiplies up to 7 in case of association with smoke and use of oral contraceptives and 16 times if also present hypertension and obesity.
Young people at risk, the importance of prevention
«A young man hit by stroke He can face serious disabilities, as loss of mobility, cognitive difficulties, linguistic difficulties and emotional problems», Highlight Andrea Vianello, president of Alice. Italy ODV. «And these consequences can interfere with the ability to lead a normal life, interrupting their own educational, professional and social path. Not only that, but families are often forced to radically modify their lives to assist a young man who has undergone a stroke and in this case psychological support, to cope with changes, becomes fundamental. It becomes necessary, therefore, raise awareness of young people on the knowledge and monitoring of risk factors with a particular focus on thehypertensionThe diabetesthe dyslipidemia el ‘abuse of substances And precisely for this reason our Association includes, in the coming months, information and screening activities dedicated to Under 55 “.
A targeted education on the main risk factors is the key element to prevent the onset of stroke and promote a healthy lifestyle even among the new generations. Regardless of the fact that the risk assessment and the indications are customized according to many factors, it is important to consider and examine a possible family predisposition and the related characteristics. Without ever forgetting the importance of undergo regularly to some basic screeningsto always keep under control glucose, cholesterol, BMI (Body mass index), Electrocardiogram and blood pressure.
Source: Vanity Fair
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