The age at which strokes are hitting people is dropping, according to a recent study. The average age at which people have a first stroke dropped by more than two years, researchers said.
Each year, about 800,000 people in the United States have a stroke; about two-thirds of them are first-time strokes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that stroke is the leading cause of long-term disability.
While the rate of strokes has declined over the past few decades, the average age at which people have their first stroke dropped from 71.7 back in 2000 to 69.3 in 2012.
Another troubling determination made by the study’s author is that while the overall rate of stroke has dropped, it has not decreased among people under the age of 65. The rate has actually increased for those who are under 55.
The decline in the average age of a first stroke could have major public health consequences, the study notes. People who are hit by stroke younger might have longer periods of disability.
More research is needed to pinpoint the reasons for the decline in average age of first strokes, the lead author of the study said in a recent news article.
When stroke or other illness results in long-term disability, the financial repercussions can hit a family hard; especially hard when an insurer refuses to pay benefits. Here in Milwaukee, the attorneys of Alan C. Olson & Associates can help you take on an insurer refusing to honor your long-term disability policy.
