Stroke Incidence has Increased for Younger Adults Despite an Overall Decline
The incidence of stroke among adults aged 49 years or younger is increasing, despite decreases in stroke rates among adults aged 75 years or older, according to the results of a recent study presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference.
The researchers utilized the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 study to examine trends in yearly stroke incidence and prevalence, stroke subtypes, death rates, and stroke disability-adjusted life years by age throughout the United States. Included were 29 years of data, from 1990 to 2019.
The results indicated an approximate 60% increase in the prevalence of stroke and an approximate 20% increase in the incidence, death, and disability-adjusted life years among the general population from 1990 to 2019. The age-standardized rates of stroke incidence, death, and disability-adjusted life years decreased by approximately 20% to 30%.
Stroke incidence among adults aged 50 years or older decreased nationwide since the beginning of the study period. However, various geographic areas including the South and the Midwest had increases in stroke incidence among individuals aged 15 to 49 years.
“Overall, these data are positive – the incidence of stroke has remained stable or declined in age-standardized measures across the US,” concluded study author Audrey C. Leasure, BS. “However, when we look by year, during the past 5 to 10 years of the study period, incidence of stroke has started to level out, and we are not seeing the same steep decrease as during the 1990s. Some of our progress in decreasing stroke incidence and death appears to be plateauing.”
—Leigh Precopio
Reference:
U.S. stroke rate declining in adults 75 and older, yet rising in adults 49 years and younger. News release. American Heart Association; February 3, 2022. Accessed February 3, 2022. https://newsroom.heart.org/news/u-s-stroke-rate-declining-in-adults-75-and-older-yet-rising-in-adults-49-and-younger?preview=d424