Alarming increase in the number of stroke deaths after the pandemic: most cases in the last 20 years – AZnews.ro

A new report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) draws attention to an alarming increase in premature deaths from stroke (stroke) among middle-aged adults in the United States. According to the study, the number of those deaths has reached an alarming level in recent years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Increased risk for middle-aged adults

The researchers pointed out that adults between the ages of 45 and 64 are now at a significantly higher risk of dying from a stroke compared to the past two decades. After a period of steady decline in the stroke mortality rate, beginning in 2012 this trend was reversed. By 2019, the death rate was up 7% from seven years ago, and in the early years of the pandemic, the increase was 12%. Although there was a slight decrease in 2022, the number of deaths is still much higher than in the pre-pandemic period, with more than 19,700 deaths recorded among people in this age group.

Strokes are the fifth leading cause of death in the US, and most cases occur in people over 65. However, the increase in deaths among middle-aged adults is different from the downward trend in mortality among the elderly. The study found that the death rate from stroke was 24% higher in blacks than whites among those over 65, with an even greater difference of 133% among those aged 45-64 .

Gender and regional differences in stroke mortality

The CDC report indicates that middle-aged men are more likely to die of stroke than women in the same age group. Additionally, death rates are higher in the southern United States compared to other regions. Dr. Elisabeth Breese Marsh, a vascular neurologist at Johns Hopkins Bayview, explains that although strokes are often associated with old age, risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity, which may occur as early as middle age, is important. contributing to stroke increase in the number of cases.

The importance of early intervention and equitable access to care

Despite medical advances in the treatment of strokes, experts emphasize the need for rapid and equitable access to medical services to prevent death and severe disability. Medical clinics, such as the Mayo Clinic, recommend careful monitoring for stroke symptoms, which include severe headaches, difficulty speaking, and paralysis or numbness in the face or limbs.

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These findings underscore the need for stronger public health measures to address the risk factors associated with stroke among middle-aged adults and to reduce the incidence and premature mortality from these devastating events.