Latest news with #JukkaPutaala
New York Post
25-04-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Your risk of having a stroke before age 50 shoots up if you have this common condition shared by 8M Americans
Rates of young people suffering from strokes have been on the rise, with a CDC report last year finding a 14.6% increase in people aged 18-44 and a 15.7% increase from ages 45-64. Even more troubling is that in many cases, these people lack traditional risk factors. 'Up to half of all ischemic strokes in younger adults are of unknown causes, and they are more common in women,' said Dr. Jukka Putaala, head of the stroke unit at Helsinki University Hospital in Finland and lead author of the study. A new study aimed to figure out which risk factors have the biggest impact — and found a surprising link to a fairly common condition. 3 About 120,000 Americans under age 45 have strokes each year. Studio Romantic – The team looked at 12 traditional risk factors (including ones like diabetes, smoking and obesity) and 10 nontraditional factors — which include autoimmune disease, IBS, chronic kidney disease, and having migraines with aura. They found that each nontraditional risk factor a patient had increased their stroke risk by a whopping 70%. It's even worse for people who also have a common heart defect called patent foramen ovale (PFO), which affects 1 in 4 people. For them, those nontraditional risk factors more than double their stroke risk. And among all those nontraditional risk factors, the researchers found migraines with aura to be the worst. 'We were aware of the important role of migraine with aura in this patient population based on earlier knowledge but were surprised that it was so profound, especially when its prevalence and strength of association were put in perspective with traditional stroke risk factors,' lead investigator Dr. Jukka Putaala told Medscape Medical News. About 39 million Americans suffer from migraines, and 20% experience an aura, in which intense headaches are accompanied by sensory issues like flashing lights and blind spots. That means roughly 8 million people in the US could be at an increased risk of stroke due to this condition. And migraines in general are more common in women, who account for more than three times as many cases as men. 3 Roughly 8 million Americans suffer from migraine with auras. fizkes – 'Why migraine carries a high risk of cryptogenic stroke in the young is a complex question and warrants further research,' Putaala added, noting that young women should be asked about their migraine history by doctors. 'For effective prevention, careful and routine assessment of both traditional and nontraditional risk factors in younger people is critical,' he said. Women-specific factors like gestational diabetes or pregnancy complications also played a major role, increasing stroke risk by 70% regardless of whether the risk was traditional or nontraditional. But before you rush to the doctor because you're seeing bright spots or zigzagging lines with your headache, keep in mind that the study has some limitations. First off, it was observational, meaning the researchers were reviewing existing data, so they can't prove cause and effect, just a correlation. The findings also rely on self-reported risk factors, which can be unreliable. Plus, the study sample was mostly white, which limits how broadly the results can be applied to other demographics. 3 Aura migraines cause vision changes like zigzagging lines, flashing lights and splotches. New Africa – Strokes aren't just for seniors Every year, more than 795,000 Americans suffer a stroke — that's one every 40 seconds. Strokes claim about 140,000 lives in the US annually, making it the fifth leading cause of death and a major driver of disability. While strokes in seniors over 65 remain the most common, the number of strokes in younger adults is rising. Some studies show a increase of up to 15% in recent years. Doctors have speculated that the surge could be linked to poor diets, lack of exercise, growing obesity rates and a rise in chronic health conditions among younger adults. However, this new study suggests that nontraditional risk factors are also playing a role. 'Recognizing specific risks that affect women and those not commonly seen … could change our approach to screening for these risks and educating our patients throughout their lives,' said Dr. Tracy E. Madsen, American Heart Association chair of the Clinical Cardiology/Stroke Women's Health Science Committee, who was not involved in the study. This could have a major impact on improving stroke outcomes—or even preventing them altogether. Experts estimate that about 80% of strokes are avoidable with lifestyle changes and proper management of risk factors.
Associated Press
17-04-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
Nontraditional risk factors shed light on unexplained strokes in adults younger than 50
Research Highlights: Embargoed until 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET, Thursday, April 17, 2025 ( NewMediaWire ) - April 17, 2025 - DALLAS — Adults younger than 50 years of age had more than double the risk of having a stroke from migraine or other nontraditional stroke risk factors rather than traditional risks such as high blood pressure, according to research published today in Stroke, the peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association. Previous research indicates the rate of ischemic (clot-caused) stroke among adults 18-49 years old is increasing and propelled by a corresponding rise in cryptogenic strokes (strokes of unknown cause) in adults without traditional risk factors, including high blood pressure, smoking, obesity, high cholesterol and Type 2 diabetes. 'Up to half of all ischemic strokes in younger adults are of unknown causes, and they are more common in women. For effective prevention, careful and routine assessment of both traditional and nontraditional risk factors in younger people is critical,' said lead study author Jukka Putaala, M.D., Ph.D., head of the stroke unit at the Neurocenter, Helsinki University Hospital in Helsinki, Finland. 'We should also carefully screen people after they have a stroke to prevent future strokes.' Researchers analyzed data for more than 1,000 adults aged 18-49 in Europe, with a median age of 41 years. Half of the participants had experienced a cryptogenic ischemic stroke, while half had no history of stroke. The study examined the associations of 12 traditional risk factors, 10 nontraditional risk factors and five risk factors specific to women (such as gestational diabetes or pregnancy complications). Researchers also closely reviewed participants with a heart defect called patent foramen ovale (PFO), a hole between the heart's upper chambers. A PFO is usually harmless yet is known to increase the odds of stroke. The study aimed to determine which risk factors contribute the most to unexplained strokes. The analysis found: Researchers also analyzed the study population's attributable risk (determining how a disease would be impacted if a certain risk factor were eliminated). To calculate population-attributable risk, researchers analyzed each risk factor and their contribution to the increased risk separately and found: 'We were surprised by the role of non-traditional risk factors, especially migraine headaches, which seems to be one of the leading risk factors in the development of strokes in younger adults,' Putaala said. 'Our results should inform the health professional community to develop a more tailored approach to risk factor assessment and management. We should be asking young women if they have a history of migraine headaches and about other nontraditional risk factors.' American Heart Association chair of the Clinical Cardiology (CLCD)/Stroke Women's Health Science Committee, Tracy E. Madsen, M.D., Ph.D., FAHA, said, 'This study is helpful because the authors present data by sex and age group. We know that stroke risk changes based on sex and age. For instance, recent data shows that younger women may have a higher risk of stroke than younger men. However, during middle age, men usually have a higher risk. Recognizing specific risks that affect women and those not commonly seen, such as migraine with aura and pregnancy complications as significant contributors to stroke risk in younger women, could change our approach to screening for these risks and educating our patients throughout their lives.' Madsen, who was not involved in the study, is also an associate professor, vice chair of research in emergency medicine and director of the EpiCenter at the Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vermont. The study's limitations include being an observational study, meaning that it was a review and analysis of existing health data on patients enrolled in another trial or database; therefore, this study's findings cannot prove cause and effect. The study also relied on patient-reported risk factors, which may impact accuracy. In addition, 95% of participants were self-reported to be white adults of European descent, which limits the applicability of the findings to other populations. Study details, background and design: Co-authors, disclosures and funding sources are listed in the manuscript. Studies published in the American Heart Association's scientific journals are peer-reviewed. The statements and conclusions in each manuscript are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association's policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The Association receives more than 85% of its revenue from sources other than corporations. These sources include contributions from individuals, foundations and estates, as well as investment earnings and revenue from the sale of our educational materials. Corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations to the Association. The Association has strict policies to prevent any donations from influencing its science content. Overall financial information is available here. Additional Resources: ### About the American Stroke Association The American Stroke Association is devoted to saving people from stroke — the No. 2 cause of death in the world and a leading cause of serious disability. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat stroke. The Dallas-based association officially launched in 1998 as a division of the American Heart Association. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-888-4STROKE or visit Follow us on Facebook, X. For Media Inquiries and AHA/ASA Expert Perspective: 214-706-1173 Karen Astle: [email protected] For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721) and
