Best Life: Strokes striking under 40

ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – Every 40 seconds someone in the United States has a stroke. The most common type of stroke happens when a blood vessel in your brain becomes blocked by a clot or plaque.

While strokes mostly affect older adults in their 70s, rates in young people are going up.

Krysta Owings is young, fit, and in love with horses.

“What I love about horses and riding in general is just the freedom and the connection that you get, is something like none other,” said Krysta Owings.

But six years ago, at age 25, Krysta had a stroke

“I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t tell time. I didn’t know what two quarters meant,” explained Owings.

Data from the American Heart Association shows strokes increased by 43 percent among young people aged 18 to 44 between 2004 and 2018.

Now experts are trying to figure out why. One theory is the rise in obesity, which can cause blood vessels to weaken and raise the risk of blood clots.

Marijuana use in young people is another possible culprit.

A paper published in Addiction found people who smoked weed daily had up to a 60 percent higher risk of a cardiovascular event, including heart attack and stroke.

Some studies have also linked vaping to stroke. Alcohol is also known to raise the risk of clots.

Some experts have suggested COVID may be a factor as the virus causes a thickening in the blood, which can increase the risk of clots.

As for Krysta recovery wasn’t easy but now, she’s back to doing what she loves.

Symptoms of a stroke may include sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the body, confusion, trouble speaking, vision problems, loss of balance, and a severe headache. If you experience these symptoms, you should call 911 right away.

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