This article originally appeared on PolitiFact.
Chris Murphy, the 53-year-old Democratic senator who represents Connecticut, was hospitalized on October 31 after suffering a stroke, and her chief of staff said she was “optimistic” about his full recovery.
Stroke rates are generally higher in older adults, so having one at his age may sound surprising, but it’s becoming more common.
WATCH: Sen. Chris Murphy released from hospital after stroke
Over the past 30 years, stroke rates among adults aged 20 to 54 have increased. Researchers found that the adult stroke rate nearly doubled from 1993-94 to 2020, jumping from 33.90 to 62.18 per 100,000 people. Stroke rates in older adults remain higher overall, but they have declined over the same period.
When researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention compared stroke incidence data from 2011-13 to 2020-22, they found that the prevalence of strokes increased by 14.6% among those ages 18 to 44 and by 15.7% among those ages 45 to 64.
There is no single explanation for the rise, but risk factors for stroke such as high blood pressure and obesity have also increased among young people.
A Florida study found that from 2014 to 2022, younger patients (ages 18 to 55) who experienced the most common form of stroke increasingly had existing vascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, diabetes or sleep apnea.
READ MORE: Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy is being treated in hospital after suffering stroke, his office says
To reduce the risk of stroke, health experts recommend that people quit smoking and recreational drug use and eat a balanced diet filled with brightly colored fruits and vegetables. It is important to maintain an active lifestyle and control conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol.
Dr. Elizabeth Rosen, a neurologist at Tufts Medical Center, told Prevention magazine that high blood pressure can significantly increase a person’s risk of stroke, and some people can feel completely healthy even with high blood pressure.
Dr. Aaron Shoskes, a neuroscientist at the University of Utah, said in April that regular visits to a health care provider can help people identify risk factors for stroke early. A visit to a primary care doctor can provide information about a person’s weight, family history of stroke and other health conditions.
“Once these numbers are known, the next step is to work with clinicians to manage them,” Shocks told the university. “Early intervention can make a big difference.”
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