When a younger person has a stroke, many life experiences may be interrupted, Elizabeth Tracey reports

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While in the US strokes are generally declining, one group in whom they are increasing is younger people. Michele Johansen, a stroke expert at Johns Hopkins, explains.

Johansen: In general the age is 18 to 50 years old. Now for a long time stroke was thought of as a disease of an older adult and it certainly is a disease of an older adult. But it’s important to realize that stroke can happen in younger people. People in this age demographic in general are starting to have families. They’re really in the middle of their career and so it can be devastating to have a stroke at this age. When we think about stroke in young adults, the good news is that young adults tend to survive. But that has to be balanced against what happens if you survive a stroke.  :32

Johansen notes that when a stroke is experienced at a younger age, prolonged rehabilitation and persistent disability may ensue, so prevention is key. She says many modifiable risk factors such as overweight and obesity and high blood pressure should be brought under control. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.