Oct. 10, 2012 -- People are having strokes at younger ages, according to new research. 
 
 "This is still a disease of the old, but a surprisingly higher proportion of younger patients are having strokes, and it's getting worse over time," says researcher Brett Kissela, MD, professor and vice chair of neurology at the University of Cincinnati. 
 
 Meanwhile, strokes are decreasing among older people, he found. 
 
 In his study, strokes among adults under age 55 grew from about 13% in 1993 to 19% in 2005. 
 
 The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, is published in Neurology. 
 
 "Our data cannot tell us why exactly this is happening," he says. "Perhaps the largest factor has to do with the early appearance of risk factors." 
 
 He's referring to the rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity among younger people, all risk factors for strokes. 
 
 Better diagnostic methods may also be playing a role, he says. 
 
 About 795,000 Americans are affected by stroke annually, according to the American Stroke Association. 
 
 Most are ischemic strokes, caused by an obstruction within the blood vessel. Others occur when a blood vessel ruptures, called hemorrhagic strokes. 
 
 Strokes in Younger People: The Numbers 
 
 For the study, Kissela's team looked at strokes in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. The regions included two Ohio counties and three Kentucky counties served by 17 hospitals in 2005. 
 
 They only studied first strokes. 
 
 The average age of first strokes fell from 71 years in 1993-94 to 69 years in 2005. 
 
 The rates of strokes in people aged 20 to 54 was higher in 2005 compared to the earlier time points. 
 
 At each of the time points, there were about 2,000 strokes. 
 
 Looking at just people aged 20-44, the number of strokes bumped up from 88 in 1993-94 to 140 in 2005. 
 
 The percent of all strokes affecting people 55 and older dropped over time. 
 
 Although Kissela's study looked only at one region of the country, a CDC study released in 2011 found the same trends nationwide. 
 
 Strokes in Younger People: Beyond Statistics 
 
 The impact of a younger person having a stroke is great, Kissela says. 

 The rate of strokes among young people is rising, which is alarming because those patients often face "greater lifetime disability." 
 
 A researcher looks at a brain scan of a stroke victim. A stroke can cause death, paralysis as well as speech and emotional difficulties. (Photo: Jack Gruber, USA TODAY) Story Highlights Those under 55 are now a larger percentage of all stroke patients 
 
 Obesity, diabetes could explain the rise, as could better detection 
 
 About 80% of strokes are preventable 
 
 Younger people are getting strokes at a faster rate, and people under age 55 make up a greater percentage of all strokes, according to a study out today in the journal Neurology. 
 
 The increase is an alarming trend because strokes in younger people translate to "greater lifetime disability," says lead author Brett Kissela, a physician at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in Ohio and a fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. While he adds that the study design does not explore reasons for the change, he thinks the increasing prevalence of obesity and diabetes could be leading factors. National studies have shown those risk factors are increasing among younger patients. Better detection through increased use of imaging might also explain the rise, he says. 
 
 Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the USA, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It can also cause paralysis, and speech and emotional difficulties. Lifestyle changes and better management of risk factors with medication have led to overall lower rates. 
 
 Researchers looked at occurrences of strokes in people between the ages 20 and 54 in the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area during three separate, one-year-long periods between July 1993 and June 1994, and the calendar years of 1999 and 2005. Only patients' first strokes were included in the analysis. Data analysis from 2010 is underway. 
 
 They embarked on the study after noticing more young patients coming to hospitals with strokes. To qualify as a case in the study, a patient must have met the criteria for one of these stroke categories: cerebral ischemia, intracerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage or stroke of uncertain cause. Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) with symptoms lasting less than 24 hours were not included. 
 
 Among findings on the 923 stroke cases analyzed: 
 
 -- Stroke rates in those under age 55 increased from 109 (per 100,000 population) in 1993-1994 to 176 in 2005 . 
 
 -- The average age of stroke patients fell from 71 years old in 1993-1994 to 69 in 2005. 
 
 -- The rate among African Americans ages 20-54 increased from 83 per 100,000 population in 1993-94 to 128 in 2005. 
 
 -- The rate among Caucasians ages 20-54 increased from 26 per 100,000 
 
 in 1993-94 to 48 in 2005. 
 
 Experts say the findings will change the way doctors think about strokes. 
 
 "This is a very disturbing trend and meaningful, strong data,'' said neurologist Daniel Labovitz of the Montefiore Medical Center in New York, who was not associated with the study. 
 
 "In older people, we're more likely to make the call (of stroke). Both patients and doctors tend to think, 'It can't be a stroke because the person is too young.' We all have to be on the lookout now. I will use this study as guidance." 
 
 About 80% of all strokes are preventable, according to the American Stroke Association. Among older black and white patients in the study, the rates have been dropping, as other studies also have shown. The National Institutes of Health provided funding for the study. 
 
 "The good news is that some of the possible contributing factors to these strokes can be modified with lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise," said Kissela. "However, given the increase in stroke among those younger than 55, younger adults should see a doctor regularly to monitor their overall health and risk for stroke and heart disease." 
 
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– There has been an alarming rise in the number of younger people suffering strokes, according to a new study. Researchers studying data from two US states found that the average age of a person suffering their first stroke fell from 71 to 69 between 1993 and 2005, and people under the age of 55 now make up nearly a fifth of stroke victims, WebMD reports. The researchers believe the trend has been caused by a rise in diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol levels. Factors like improved diagnosis may also be contributing, the lead researcher says, but "the rising trend found in our study is of great concern for public health because strokes in younger people translate to greater lifetime disability." Experts say the study highlights the need for younger people to be aware of stroke symptoms. "This is a very disturbing trend and meaningful, strong data," a neurologist tells USA Today. "In older people, we're more likely to make the call (of stroke). Both patients and doctors tend to think, 'It can't be a stroke because the person is too young.' We all have to be on the lookout now."