5 factors that increase the risk of stroke in young people.

Stroke (also known as cerebrovascular accident) is affecting younger people, with hospitals now receiving many new cases in the 18-30 age range.

Mr. Hoang, 30 years old, from Hoa Binh province, was recently admitted to Military Hospital 108 (Hanoi) in critical condition with severe dizziness and weakness on one side of his body. Upon emergency examination, doctors diagnosed him with a stroke. His family was very surprised, believing that a stroke at his young age was highly unlikely.

The symptoms often manifest unexpectedly, but according to experts, stroke is the result of underlying, long-term factors that patients, especially young people, often overlook or are unaware of.

According to Professor Nguyen Van Thong, Chairman of the Northern Stroke Prevention Association and Head of the Neurology Department at the 108 Clinical Medical Research Institute, strokes often occur unexpectedly, causing patients to fall in the bathroom, on the street, at work, at parties, or even while playing sports… The disease can affect anyone – the elderly, the young, urban or rural, businesspeople, office workers, or farmers…

Recent statistics from the World Stroke Organization show that one in six people are at risk of stroke. In Vietnam, there are approximately 200,000 cases annually, with half of them resulting in death. The rate among young and middle-aged people is increasing sharply and accounts for about one-third of all stroke cases. According to hospital statistics, the stroke rate among young people is increasing by an average of about 2% per year, with men being four times more likely to be affected than women.

Professor Thong analyzed that the increase in strokes among young people is due to risk factors related to modern lifestyles and chronic diseases that continuously accelerate and bring the onset of stroke closer. According to Professor Thong, the fundamental causes of stroke include:

Insomnia:Previously, insomnia was more common in people over 60, but now the number of patients under 40 is increasing due to the pressures of work, finances, family, etc.

Insomnia lasting more than a month, occurring three times a week, becomes chronic, is very difficult to treat, and seriously affects health through underlying conditions such as hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia, and atherosclerosis—all of which are high-risk factors for stroke.

According to scientists at Icahn School of Medicine (USA), people who sleep less than 5 hours a night have an 83% higher risk of stroke than those who get enough sleep (7-8 hours).

Nerve cells in the brain and blood vessels become hardened due to the attack of free radicals.

Frequent tension and stress:This is considered an inevitable consequence of modern life and is an increasingly emphasized factor in promoting many dangerous medical conditions, especially stroke. Recently, a study published in The Lancet (UK) showed that high stress levels and working more than 55 hours per week increase the risk of stroke by one-third.

A sedentary lifestyle, abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and stimulants:Being caught up in work, life, and other concerns is the reason many young people neglect exercise. Recently, the American Heart Association's Stroke journal published a report stating that those who do not exercise have a 20% higher risk of stroke compared to those who exercise at least four times a week.

Furthermore, negative lifestyle influences such as alcohol abuse, smoking, and substance abuse increase blood pressure, cause central nervous system complications, and create a predisposition to atherosclerosis, easily leading to ischemia and stroke. Notably, atherosclerosis can appear very early, even before the continuous impact of lifestyle factors.

Metabolic syndrome, a chronic disease, is tending to affect younger people.According to one study, the rate of stroke among patients with metabolic syndrome is 62%. This risk increases many times over if there is a synergistic effect from other medical conditions such as obesity (which increases insulin resistance), type 2 diabetes, and hypertension, which promote the formation and development of atherosclerotic plaques in the arteries, causing cerebral ischemia.

Notably, diseases such as hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia, diabetes, and atherosclerosis are tending to affect younger people due to the negative impact of unbalanced lifestyles and nutrition.

Stroke is not just a disease of the elderly; it is increasingly threatening young people.

The subjective mindset that strokes only occur in the elderly:Youth is often considered the period of peak health and least prone to illness. This can easily lead to complacency, a lack of preventative measures and early screening, and the potential overlooking of stroke symptoms that necessitate timely emergency treatment. Meanwhile, young people, even in their 20s and 30s, are not immune to stroke, as this disease spares no one. According to hospital statistics, the rate of stroke among young people is trending upwards, averaging about 2% per year, with the number of men four times higher than women.

Before stroke occurs, there is a silent progression with underlying risk factors. Through in-depth research at the molecular biological level, scientists have discovered that major risk factors such as atherosclerosis and cerebral ischemia originate significantly from the uncontrolled production of free radicals under the influence of lifestyle factors such as lack of sleep, stress, and the body's continuous metabolic processes.

Free radicals attack and damage the endothelium of blood vessels, creating favorable conditions for the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, which narrow the blood vessel lumen, hindering blood flow and causing cerebral ischemia. As atherosclerotic plaques thicken and break off, they combine with other factors to form blood clots that can become lodged in various locations within the cerebral blood vessels, causing blockages or even rupture, leading to stroke.

In addition to supplementing nutrients, experts recommend having a reasonable work schedule, avoiding insomnia, tension, and stress; maintaining a balanced diet (limiting fats, sugars, and salt; eating plenty of vegetables, roots, and fruits); exercising regularly (walking, jogging, cycling... 30-60 minutes per day and 4-5 times a week); and limiting alcohol and avoiding smoking... to protect and improve respiratory, cardiovascular, and overall health, thereby minimizing the risk of stroke.

According to Alobacsi.vn