Strokes are serious vascular events that can result in death or varying levels of disability, prompting researchers to identify risk factors to help reduce stroke risk. A recent study found that nontraditional risk factors such as migraine and thrombophilia play a crucial role in stroke risk, particularly in adults under 35. Stroke prevention is important, even for younger individuals, as strokes can have lifelong consequences. Another study published recently examined how traditional and nontraditional risk factors contribute to strokes in younger adults, with nontraditional factors having a greater impact on stroke risk for those under 35. Ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes are the two main types of strokes, with multiple risk factors including high blood pressure, diabetes, and family history increasing the likelihood of experiencing a stroke.
The study included data from over 2,600 stroke cases and over 7,800 controls, analyzing traditional and nontraditional risk factors for stroke in adults under 55. Nontraditional risk factors were found to contribute most to strokes in individuals under 35, with the risks from these factors decreasing with age. The study aimed to identify nontraditional risk factors to better understand stroke risk among younger adults. The study revealed that migraine was the most important nontraditional stroke risk factor among adults aged 18 to 34, highlighting the importance of screening for nontraditional risk factors in individuals at risk of stroke. The research emphasized the need for further studies to better understand why migraines can lead to strokes and develop clinical interventions to prevent strokes in migraine sufferers.
High blood pressure, hyperlipidemia, and tobacco use were among the most common traditional risk factors for strokes observed among both men and women. Nontraditional risk factors like migraine, kidney failure, and thrombophilia were more common in men, while migraine, thrombophilia, and malignancy were more common in women. Nontraditional risk factors contributed more to stroke risk in men and women under 35 compared to traditional risk factors, indicating the importance of identifying these risks in younger patients. Younger patients with nontraditional risk factors should be screened by physicians for their stroke risk, in addition to commonly known risk factors such as hypertension and heart disease.
The study had certain limitations, including not accounting for uncoded diagnoses or risk factors when participants did not seek care, as well as potential unmeasured bias and confounding. Researchers also noted that their assessment of nontraditional risk factors may have underestimated their impact. The study was conducted in a claims database in Colorado, which could limit the generalizability of the results. The researchers could not fully account for certain confounders and had missing data on race and ethnicity, emphasizing the need for more studies in different population cohorts to gather more data. Further research is needed to better understand the mechanisms of migraines leading to strokes and develop future clinical interventions to prevent strokes in migraine sufferers.
