Stroke risk by age
Pro Research Analysisby 
Searched over 200M research papers
Stroke Risk Variation by Age
Stroke risk changes significantly with age, and both the likelihood of having a stroke and the impact of various risk factors differ across age groups. Understanding these patterns is crucial for effective prevention and intervention strategies.
Lifetime and Age-Specific Stroke Risk
Globally, the lifetime risk of stroke from age 25 onward is about 25% for both men and women, with some regions like East Asia and Central Europe experiencing even higher risks. This risk has increased slightly over recent decades, highlighting the growing public health challenge of stroke worldwide . The mean age at which people experience a stroke has decreased over time, with a notable increase in strokes among younger adults (under 55), rising from 12.9% of all strokes in the early 1990s to 18.6% in 2005 . This trend means more people are living with the long-term consequences of stroke at a younger age.
Key Stroke Risk Factors in Younger Adults
For individuals under 45, traditional risk factors such as hypertension, smoking, binge drinking, central obesity, cardiac causes, dyslipidemia, and psychosocial stress are all significant contributors to stroke risk. Among these, hypertension stands out as the most important risk factor across all regions and stroke types, with its impact increasing with age even within the younger population . Other studies confirm that diabetes, hypertension, and obesity are especially strong risk factors for stroke in younger adults, with the relative risk being much higher in this group compared to older adults 39. Smoking and excessive alcohol use also play a major role in increasing stroke risk for those under 75 .
Changing Impact of Risk Factors with Age
The influence of certain risk factors on stroke risk changes as people age. The association of diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease with stroke is much stronger in younger adults and becomes less pronounced in older age groups. In contrast, the impact of smoking, atrial fibrillation, and left ventricular hypertrophy on stroke risk remains consistent or even increases with age 49. This means that while managing blood pressure and diabetes is especially critical for younger adults, addressing smoking and heart rhythm problems becomes increasingly important as people get older.
Age-Related Patterns in Stroke Subtypes
Different types of stroke (ischemic and hemorrhagic) and their subtypes show distinct patterns of risk factors by age. Younger patients with certain types of ischemic stroke are more likely to have hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes, while smoking is more common in younger patients with hemorrhagic stroke . The accumulation of multiple risk factors is particularly pronounced in younger adults with certain stroke subtypes, emphasizing the need for early and aggressive risk factor management.
The Role of Health Behaviors and Prevention
Long-term studies show that modifying health behaviors—such as controlling blood pressure, quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and staying physically active—can significantly reduce stroke risk, especially in older adults . However, because the relative impact of some risk factors is greater in younger people, early intervention and prevention strategies targeting these modifiable risks are essential to curb the rising incidence of stroke in younger populations 139.
Non-Proportionality of Risk Factors with Age
Recent research suggests that the contribution of some risk factors to stroke risk is not proportional across all ages. For example, factors like diastolic blood pressure, cholesterol, and BMI may influence stroke risk differently depending on age, which has implications for how risk prediction models are developed and used in clinical practice .
Conclusion
Stroke risk is present across the lifespan, but the relative importance of different risk factors changes with age. Younger adults face a rising risk of stroke, largely driven by modifiable factors such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, smoking, and alcohol use. As people age, the impact of some risk factors diminishes while others remain significant or even increase in importance. Early identification and management of these risks, tailored to age and stroke subtype, are key to reducing the global burden of stroke.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic