According to statistics from the Ministry of Health, Vietnam records about 200,000 stroke cases each year, of which the mortality rate is up to 40%. Worryingly, the trend of stroke in young people is increasing.
Sharing about this issue, MSc. Dr. Nguyen Thi Minh Duc - Head of the Department of Neurology, Tam Anh General Hospital HCMC - said that in Vietnam, stroke cases under 45 years old are classified as young strokes. Although accounting for about 2% of the total number of cases each year, the rapid increase trend is of particular concern to experts.
According to Dr. Duc, risk factors in young people are not much different from older people, including high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, diabetes or obesity. Modern lifestyles with sedentary habits, eating a lot of unhealthy fats, using stimulants such as cigarettes, laughing gas... also contribute to increasing the risk.
In addition, young people also have specific risk factors such as congenital heart disease, arrhythmia (especially atrial fibrillation), and the existence of ovarian cavities in the heart. In women under 35 years old, the use of birth control pills can also increase the risk of blood clots, leading to stroke. Migraines are also recorded as a related factor in some cases.
To prevent, experts recommend that young people should proactively screen early. Basic tests such as blood pressure measurement, blood sugar tests, blood fat, cardiovascular function assessment or brain resonance imaging can help detect early abnormalities such as blood vessel malformations, aneurysms or risk of blood clots.
Stroke can leave serious sequelae, even causing patients to lose their ability to work, becoming completely dependent on their families. Therefore, don't think that this disease only occurs in the elderly," Dr. Duc emphasized.
According to studies, 1 in 4 people is at risk of stroke in life. However, this is a disease that can be completely prevented if lifestyle and risk factors are well controlled.
Maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly, limiting stress and regular health check-ups are important shields to protect the brain from the risk of stroke.
