Incidence of Stroke Increasing Among Young Adults

FRIDAY, Sept. 25, 2026 (HealthDay News) — The incidence of stroke is increasing among young adults over time, while case-fatality rates (CFRs) are decreasing, according to a study published online Sept. 23 in Neurology.

Emily R. Fisher, M.D., from the University of Cincinnati, and colleagues characterized the incidence rates, 30-day CFRs, and the burden of stroke risk factors over time in young adults (aged 20 to 54 years) in a five-county region. Hospitalized stroke cases were ascertained in six study periods: July 1993 to June 1994, and calendar years 1999, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020.

The researchers identified 2,076 first-ever strokes in young adults across all study periods. Over time, hypertension, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, and substance use were more common. There was an increase in stroke incidence rates over time among young adults (33.90 cases/100,000 person-years in 1993-1994 to 62.18 cases/100,000 person-years in 2020), while a decline was seen in older adults (618.78 to 453.04 cases/100,000 person-years, respectively). Ischemic stroke seemed to drive the increase in stroke incidence, with an almost doubling of incidence rate (23.8 to 47.3 cases/100,000 person-years in 1993-1994 and 2020, respectively). Young adults had a modest decline in 30-day CFR (11.7 to 9.4 percent in 1993-1994 and 2020, respectively), which was driven by intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage (27.5 to 21.2 percent and 27.9 to 18.6 percent, respectively).

“Our findings highlight the importance of identifying and managing stroke risk factors early in adulthood,” Fisher said in a statement.

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