Stroke rates spike among young, urban populations

Recent research has shown stroke to be increasingly apparent in millennials—a generation of those roughly defined as those between 18 and 34 years old. Scientific American published a story exploring the "whys" behind the uptick.

The story shows that rates of stroke among younger Americans varied in different populations, with those in urban settings more susceptible than rural. People in the Midwest and West have seen a larger increase than those in other regions.

"There has been mounting evidence from different studies suggesting that even though the incidence and mortality of stroke is on the decline, the rates may not be dropping quite as much—and even [may be] increasing—among younger populations,” said Ralph Sacco, president of the American Academy of Neurology. “The reasons for these trends are not entirely clear but there are concerns about obesity, diabetes and physical inactivity having a greater impact in younger stroke victims.”

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Nicholas Leider, Managing Editor

Nicholas joined TriMed in 2016 as the managing editor of the Chicago office. After receiving his master’s from Roosevelt University, he worked in various writing/editing roles for magazines ranging in topic from billiards to metallurgy. Currently on Chicago’s north side, Nicholas keeps busy by running, reading and talking to his two cats.

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