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Stroke rates increasing among younger people

The average age at which an individual experiences stroke has dropped nearly three years since 1993.

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International Stroke Conference 2010

Although the stroke incidence rates among the elderly are decreasing, strokes have become more prevalent in younger individuals, study results suggested.

Researchers examined retrospective ICD-9 discharge diagnosis codes 430 through 436; potential strokes observed in local hospitals; and medical records from approximately 1.3 million individuals from the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region. They focused on stroke incidence rates recorded during the course of three one-year study periods starting 1993 to 1994, again in 1999 and once more in 2005.

The researchers reported that the average age of patients experiencing stroke in 2005 was nearly three years younger than when measured in 1993 to 1994. The average age at which individuals experienced first stroke in 1993 to 1994 was 71.3 years, which lowered to 70.9 years in 1999 and lowered again in 2005 to 68.4 years (P<.0001). Stroke incidence rates in patients aged 25 to 44 years significantly increased from 12 per 100,000 in 1993 to 1994 to 25 per 100,000 in 2005.

Concurrently, patients aged 65 to 74 years saw incidence rates decrease from 530 per 100,000 in 1993 to 1994 to 451 per 100,000 in 2005. Similar trends were reported in patients aged 75 to 84 years (from 1,039 per 100,000 in 1993 to 1994 to 778 per 100,000 in 2005) and in patients aged older than 85 years (from 1,680 per 100,000 in 1993 to 1994 to 1,263 per 100,000 in 2005). Stroke incidence rates in blacks did not see significant decreases except in individuals aged older than 85 years (from 1,910 per 100,000 in 1993 to 1994 to 1,029 per 100,000 in 2005).

“If we do not reverse this trend, we will unfortunately see more strokes in young people,” Brett M. Kissela, MD, an associate professor of neurology at the University of Cincinnati Neuroscience Institute, said in an interview. “That is tragic, because if you are young and disabled by stroke, there is a significant amount of productive life lost.” – by Eric Raible

For more information:

• Kissela B. #83. Presented at: International Stroke Conference 2010; Feb. 23-26, 2010; San Antonio.

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