Summary of How Common Stroke Risk Factors Evolve With Age:
A new study published in Neurology suggests that the risk of stroke from common factors such as high blood pressure and diabetes may decrease with age. The study involved 28,235 individuals without a prior history of stroke and found that participants with high blood pressure in the younger age group had an 80% higher risk of stroke than those of similar age without high blood pressure. In comparison, that risk went down to 50% for people with high blood pressure in the older age group compared to people of similar age without high blood pressure. Similarly, people with diabetes in the younger age group were approximately twice as likely to have a stroke as people of similar age who did not have diabetes. In comparison, people with diabetes in the older age group had an approximately 30% higher risk of having a stroke than people of similar age who did not have diabetes. Researchers suggest that it may be wise for doctors to focus on managing risk factors such as atrial fibrillation, smoking, and left ventricular hypertrophy as people age, highlighting that treatment of high blood pressure and diabetes remains very important for a person’s health, regardless of age.
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Managing Common Risk Factors for Stroke May Reduce Risk with Age
A new study published in the medical journal Neurology has found that common risk factors for stroke, including high blood pressure and diabetes, may decrease their association with stroke risk as individuals age. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, followed 28,235 individuals without a prior history of stroke for an average of 11 years.
Age-Related Differences in Risk Factors for Ischemic Stroke
Researchers followed up with participants every six months, confirming strokes by reviewing medical records. Participants were divided into three age groups, which were then compared: a younger group (ages 45-69), a middle group (the late 60s to 70s), and an older group (ages 74 and older). The study found that people with high blood pressure in the younger age group had an 80% higher risk of having a stroke than people of similar age without high blood pressure. In comparison, that risk went down to 50% for people with high blood pressure in the older age group compared to people of similar age without high blood pressure. Similarly, people with diabetes in the younger age group were approximately twice as likely to have a stroke as people of similar age who did not have diabetes. In comparison, people with diabetes in the older age group had an approximately 30% higher risk of having a stroke than people of similar older age who did not have diabetes.
Risk Factors That Remain Consistent Across All Age Groups
Researchers also found that risk factors such as smoking, atrial fibrillation, and left ventricular hypertrophy, the thickening of the heart’s left ventricle, did not change with age. Moreover, when researchers examined race as a risk factor, they found a higher stroke risk for Black participants in the younger age group compared to white participants in that group, a difference that decreased in the older age group.
Managing Risk Factors for Stroke across All Age Groups
“It is important to note that our results do not suggest that treatment of high blood pressure and diabetes becomes unimportant in older age,” said George Howard, the study author. “Such treatments are still very important for a person’s health. But it also may be wise for doctors to focus on managing risk factors such as atrial fibrillation, smoking, and left ventricular hypertrophy as people age.”
Limitations of the Study
Although the study was conducted for an average of 11 years, Howard noted that participants’ risk factors were assessed only once at the start and may have changed over time. In addition, although the impact of risk factors decreases with age, the total number of people with strokes in older generations may still be larger, as the overall risk of stroke increases with age.
Conclusion
This study highlights the importance of managing common risk factors for stroke, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, across all age groups. As individuals age, their risk of stroke may change, and it’s crucial to monitor and manage other risk factors that do not diminish with age, such as smoking and atrial fibrillation. Overall, the study shows that early prevention and management of common risk factors for stroke are crucial for reducing the risk of stroke in individuals of all ages.
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