This article originally appeared on PolitiFact.
After U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, a 53-year-old Democrat representing Connecticut, was hospitalized Oct. 31 following a stroke, his chief of staff said she was “optimistic” he will make a full recovery.
Stroke rates are higher overall among older adults, so a stroke at his age may sound surprising — but it’s become more common.
WATCH: Sen. Chris Murphy discharged from hospital after stroke
Stroke rates among adults ages 20 to 54 years old have risen in the last 30 years. Researchers found that the stroke incidence rate among adults from 1993-94 nearly doubled in 2020, jumping from 33.90 cases per 100,000 people to 62.18 cases. Stroke rates remain much higher overall among older adults, but the rate for older people declined during the same period.
When Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researchers compared stroke incidence data from 2011-13 with 2020-22, they found that stroke prevalence increased 14.6% among people 18 to 44 and 15.7% among people 45 to 64.
There isn’t one single explanation for the rise, but risk factors for stroke such as high blood pressure and obesity are up among young people, too.
A study in Florida found that from 2014 to 2022, young patients (18 to 55 years old) who experienced the most common form of stroke increasingly had existing vascular risk factors such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes or sleep apnea.
READ MORE: Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy is in the hospital after having a stroke, his office says
To decrease stroke risk, health professionals advise people to quit smoking and using drugs recreationally and to eat a balanced diet that incorporates many colorful fruits and vegetables. It’s important to maintain an active lifestyle and manage conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol.
High blood pressure significantly increases a person’s stroke risk, and some people can feel completely healthy even if they have hypertension, Dr. Elizabeth Rosen, neurologist at Tufts Medical Center, told Prevention.
Regularly seeing a health care provider can help people identify stroke risk factors early, Dr. Aaron Shoskes, a University of Utah neurologist, said in April. A visit with a primary care doctor can reveal information about a person’s weight, family history of stroke and other health conditions.
“Once those numbers are known, the next step is working with a clinician to manage them,” Shoskes told the university. “Early intervention makes a big difference.”
