Stroke is no longer a disease confined to old age. A new analysis by theIndian Council of Medical Research(ICMR)reveals a troubling trend: 1 in 7 stroke patients in India are between 18 and 44 years old. The findings, based on over 34,000 cases, signal a major shift in the country’s health landscape, with young adults increasingly at risk of stroke. According to research published in theSAGE Journals, stroke is now the fourth leading cause of death and fifth leading cause of disability in India, making it a growing public health emergency.

The research data says around 13.8 per cent of stroke cases occur in people aged 18 to 44 years, highlighting how strokes are striking earlier in India compared to many Western countries. What makes this trend more alarming is delayed treatment - nearly 40 per cent of patients reach hospitals after 24 hours, drastically reducing survival and recovery chances.

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Doctors stress that stroke treatment is extremely time-sensitive. The first hour after symptoms begin - often known as the “golden hour” - is critical to prevent permanent brain damage. Early treatment helps restore blood flow to the brain, and advanced procedures may help within 24 hours in some cases. Despite that, only 20 per cent of patients reach hospitals on time.

This gap in awareness is one of the biggest challenges in stroke prevention and survival.

Golden hour is critical to prevent permanent brain damage

Recognising symptoms early can save lives. Watch out for:

Experts say lifestyle diseases are no longer limited to older age groups. Key risk factors include high blood pressure, which is seen in nearly 75 per cent of cases, diabetes, significant use of tobacco, which includes both smoking and chewing, high alcohol consumption, and anemia.

Sedentary lifestyles, stress, poor diet, and long working hours are also contributing to the rise in early stroke risk in India.

According to doctors, stroke in young adults has serious long-term consequences, which include disability during peak working years, financial and emotional burden on families, reduced quality of life, and increased lifetime healthcare costs.

Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now