According to the American Brain Foundation, over 800,000 Americans experience a new or recurrent stroke annually. Of these people, at least 140,000 die. Unfortunately, many people who have a stroke end up with some form of disability, and the condition is considered to be a leading cause of permanent disability in adults. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists strokes as the fourth leading cause of death. While many people consider the condition a problem for older adults, recent trends show that this is no longer the case.
When researchers assessed the stroke information for multiple years, they discovered something startling. While the stroke incidents were decreasing for adults over the age of 65, the opposite was true for those between the ages of 20 and 44. In 1993, 17 of 100,000 people in that age group had a stroke. In 2015, that number grew to 28 in 100,000. Since then, the incidents have become even more frequent.
To make things more troubling, younger people were dealing with different types of strokes than those usually seen in older adults. While they can also have ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes, studies show that younger adults can have cervical artery dissection and patent foramen ovale. In the former, the walls of large blood vessels in the neck are damaged, leading to a stroke. The latter is characterized by a link between the right and left sides of the heart that allows clots from the leg to get into the blood vessels that lead to the brain.
Seeing the worrying trend, researchers set out to find out what might be causing it. While they anticipated that younger people would have slightly healthier habits than older adults, that wasn’t the case. Studies showed that although younger people were less likely to be as overweight as their older counterparts, they smoked just as much or more than older adults. They also led more sedentary lives, which led to them having similar risk factors for having a stroke.
Another thing that researchers noticed was how many young people were at risk of developing or had already developed Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Syndrome (CKM). In fact, over 80 percent of young and middle-aged adults show risks of CKM. While other factors may influence someone’s risk of having a stroke, CKM is one of note.
RELATED: 5 Signs You’ve Already Had A Stroke and Didn’t Know It
CKM describes a complex health condition that involves your cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic systems. It can involve problems with your heart, blood vessels, kidneys, how your body uses sugar, and your weight. Generally, any of these issues can result in cardiovascular diseases, kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.
Health experts coined the term because they discovered a link between these different systems where one can influence the other. For example, being overweight can increase your risk of developing heart disease. People with type 2 diabetes may also be more likely to develop heart and kidney disease. Additionally, if you have high body fat, there may be substances in your body that cause inflammation, which in turn can damage your heart and kidneys.
While each condition may present with different symptoms, doctors suggest looking out for the potentially hidden signs of CKM in general. In the early stages, you may have high cholesterol or high blood sugar without any symptoms. However, some signs include trouble breathing, unexplained chest pain, chronic fatigue, swelling in your extremities, and pain in your legs when walking.
If you’re experiencing any of those symptoms, it’s best to see your doctor for a check-up. After doing tests on your blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar, and kidney function, among others, your doctor should be able to determine if you are at risk for CKM. These results can also help to stage the condition.
At stage 0, you have no risk factors, but stage 1 means that you’re showing the early warning signs of the condition. People who are at stage 2 have started to show health risks like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and kidney disease, while heart and blood vessel problems typically begin at stage 3. Stage 4 is the final step, and this usually means that you have developed significant heart problems. At this stage, you may have already had a heart attack, stroke, or heart failure.
RELATED: Post-Stroke Care: What to do After Having a Stroke
As with many chronic conditions, it’s always best to prevent CKM if you can. While various factors can influence your risk, doctors still advise making changes to your lifestyle to maintain your health. This usually means eating healthier foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, high-fiber foods, and foods that are low in salt. It’s a good idea to avoid foods that are high in saturated fat, trans fat, salt, sugar, and cholesterol. If you drink alcohol or smoke, walking away from that can increase your chances of staying healthy.
Physical activity is another way to maintain a healthy weight while also building your strength. You can consult with your doctor to determine what’s best for you, but 30 minutes of daily brisk exercise is the general recommendation.
If you already have a health condition, then sticking to your prescribed medical regimen will be essential in either preventing CKM or keeping it from progressing. Depending on the stage of the condition, your doctor may recommend different monitoring activities to keep your health in check.
For example, if you’re at stage 1 of the condition, you may need to check your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol professionally every two to three years. The frequency will likely increase to annually if you’re already at stage 2. If you’re dealing with kidney disease, you will need to take medications and other precautions to ensure the issue doesn’t get worse.
You may also need different tests to determine if or how the condition has progressed over time. One test doctors often recommend is the coronary artery calcium or CAC test, which determines if your arteries are still healthy. Based on the results, you may need to change the medications that you take. The key is to ensure that you’re managing CKM as effectively as possible at all stages of the condition.
While Americans have decreased their stroke risk in general, one demographic shows a higher risk of having the condition than others. Younger adults have seen a significant increase in their risk in the past five to 10 years. Research indicates that this increase may be attributed to CKM, so you need to learn how to prevent and manage this condition.
By subscribing, you consent to receive emails from BlackDoctor.com. You may unsubscribe at any time. Privacy Policy & Terms of Service.
