Stroke risk not unheard of in those as young as 45.
Though uncommon, they can occur in those as young as 45
Retirement age is typically when people need to start worrying about having strokes, doctors say. The risk of stroke doubles every decade after age 55.
But strokes and ministrokes occur in 10 percent of Americans younger than 45 and are rising in people between 50 and 65, according to the Texas Medical Center.
Two celebrities, John Singleton, 51, and Luke Perry, 52, have died in the past year from massive stroke and stroke-related complications. Stroke is the fifth-leading cause of death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Genetic predisposition, high blood pressure and smoking are three big factors when younger people suffer from stroke, said Dr. Mujtaba Ali-Khan, chief medical officer for HCA Houston Healthcare Associate Division. He says though it’s possible, strokes in young people are still considered improbable.
“Usually in the younger population, there is something genetically predisposing them that led to the stroke, like a family history of aneuryisms, high cholesterol or blood pressure,” Ali-Khan said. “The younger patient population could be predisposed from a traumatic injury like a car accident, fall or a fight.”
A ministroke, also called a transient ischemic attack, is a spot that passes through an artery and temporarily blocks blood flow before moving on. It can present as a full-blown stroke, and people who experience ministrokes are more likely to develop a stroke.
Doctors promote “F.A.S.T.” stroke detection for older individuals but also anyone who may be with them. The symptoms are:
Face drooping: Ask a person to smile. Does one side droop?
Arm weakness: Ask the person to raise both arms to see if one drifts down.
Speech difficulty: Is the person’s speech slurred or strange?
Time: If you observe any of these signs, call 911.
Time is a major factor in treating a stroke to prevent serious long-term damage.
The quicker a patient can be given a tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), a clot buster, the more likely he or she is to recover with less damage. That window is typically up to 4½ hours after the first signs of a stroke, according to the Mayo Clinic.
In the three stroke centers in the HCA Gulf Coast Division’s Houston area, Ali-Khan said, the medication can be administered within 20 minutes of arrival, rather than the standard 90 minutes. On average, 15 to 20 people go to the stroke centers per month, he said.
“We do CAT scans very quickly, usually within 10 minutes of arrival, and can give the medication,” he said. “After the medication, we repeat the CAT scan to see if there’s been a bleed or if it’s a large vessel blockage, and then we can decide to do a more intensive procedure.”
An intensive procedure called Elvo could also be an option depending on the size of the blockage, he said.
For more information on strokes, visit the American Stroke Association at strokeassociation.org.