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Stroke rates in young adults nearly doubled since 1993

By Drooid · Sep 25, 2026, 4:43 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Researchers Report Stroke Surge

University of Cincinnati researchers report stroke rates among adults 20-54 nearly doubled from 1993 to 2020.
Overall incidence rose from 33.9 to 62.2 cases per 100,000 person-years.
Ischemic strokes increased from 23.8 to 47.3 cases per 100,000 person-years.
Substance-use prevalence grew from 4.6% to 40.2%, driven largely by marijuana.
30-day case-fatality rates fell from 11.7% to 9.4% despite rising stroke numbers.

Summary

Researchers Urge Screening

Researchers urge young adults to follow the American Heart Association’s Essential 8 checklist to lower stroke risk.
Study authors recommend annual primary-care wellness visits to detect hypertension, diabetes and cholesterol early.
Experts attribute the rise in strokes among younger adults to obesity, sedentary lifestyles and high cholesterol.
Study authors call for increased funding to investigate stroke causes in younger U.S. populations.

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Researchers Report Stroke Surge

University of Cincinnati researchers report stroke rates among adults 20-54 nearly doubled from 1993 to 2020.
Overall incidence rose from 33.9 to 62.2 cases per 100,000 person-years.
Ischemic strokes increased from 23.8 to 47.3 cases per 100,000 person-years.
Substance-use prevalence grew from 4.6% to 40.2%, driven largely by marijuana.
30-day case-fatality rates fell from 11.7% to 9.4% despite rising stroke numbers.

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