Neurology® Podcast Vascular Risk Factor Burden Among Young Adults with Ischemic Stroke
Feb 24, 2025
Dr. Aaron Shoskes, a researcher from the University of Utah, discusses the alarming rise of ischemic strokes in young adults. He highlights the growing influence of hypertension and obesity as traditional risk factors. The talk delves into healthcare disparities, particularly among young Black stroke patients. Shoskes emphasizes the need for rethinking stroke management strategies and how lifestyle factors contribute to increasing polymorbidity. Community outreach and innovative technology are suggested as crucial tools in combating this urgent public health issue.
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Rising Vascular Risk in Young Stroke
- Traditional vascular risk factors like hypertension, obesity, and diabetes are very common and rising among young adults with ischemic stroke.
- This rise likely contributes significantly to the increasing stroke incidence in younger populations, shifting stroke from an older adult disease.
Disparities in Stroke Risk Factors
- Young Black stroke patients show much higher polymorbidity rates than White and Hispanic counterparts.
- Social determinants, chronic stress, and discrimination contribute strongly to these disparities beyond genetic factors.
Rising Risk Factor Burden in Women
- Men have a higher baseline polymorbidity rate but the increase over time is more prominent in women aged 36 to 55.
- Rising obesity and diabetes rates may partly explain this growing burden in older young women.