Risk Factors for Stroke in Young People

A stroke occurs when the brain is deprived of oxygen caused by a blockage or a rupture occurs in an artery. It is commonly thought that strokes only happen in the 65 and over age bracket. This is a common misconception and could cause people under age 65 to be misled into believing that they are safe from possible strokes. The truth is, it is more rare for a stroke to happen to someone under the age of 65 but it happens all the time. There are some common risk factors to look out for. It should be noted that women are more likely to die from stroke than men and more women than men have strokes in the 18-35 year old age group.

Risk Factors for Young People Having a Stroke

Over 30 Women- If you are a woman who is over the age of 30, smokes and takes birth control which has a high content of estrogen, you are at a much higher risk of a stroke. The risk is 22 times higher than most average women are.

Pregnancy- Pregnant women, unbelievably, have a slightly raised risk of having a stroke over other people.

Bad Habits- Drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, smoking illegal drugs can raise the risk of strokes for everyone no matter what age you are. Be aware of this fact. Strokes can kill.

Previous Stroke- If you have previously had a stroke, you are more likely to have another one in the future. Your risk is much higher.

Injury- Injuries from sports, neck injuries or vigorous neck massages can cause a stroke because it can cause clotting. If the clots loosen it can travel to the brain and cause a stroke.

A report in Medical News Today states that 780,000 people that have strokes in the United States each year are under 60 years old. That is a huge portion of stroke victims and good reason for those under 60 to pay attention to the possible causes and find ways to prevent it from happening to them. People need to make themselves aware of what is going on with your body. Everyone needs to be more aware of what a stroke is and what can happen as a result of a stroke.

Possible Affects of a Stroke

Movement- Depending on the area of the brain the stroke hits. Paralysis can be a very likely affect of a stroke. One side of the body will often be paralyzed by a stroke. Movement may come back in time but there is a high chance that it won't. If you suffer too many strokes, the paralysis could become permanent. Paralysis could become permanent even if you have never had a stroke before.

Death- Just like a heart attack, a stroke can kill you. Depending on the strength of the stroke, it could cause death during the first stroke. If it is a mild stroke, you will be at higher risk for strokes in the future which leads you closer to worse strokes and the possibility of death because of a stroke.

Speech- It is likely that your speech and your ability to understand what other people are trying to say to you will be greatly affected by a stroke. You memory could be affected as well. This is another case where it could be a short-term affect but the affects could be permanent as well.

These are just some of the effects of a stroke. Strokes can strike you no matter what age you are. Even infants can have strokes. Make yourself aware of what causes strokes and take every precaution in order to prevent a stroke from happening to you.