Archive · 24 Sep 2026
Stroke Risk Is Rising Among Younger Adults, Studies Find
Strokes are happening more often among younger people.
Scientists have not found one single reason why this is happening.
They have noticed that conditions such as diabetes, irregular heartbeats, and high blood pressure are common in younger people who have strokes.
Substance abuse also became more common in this group.
Much of that increase was linked to marijuana use.
Around the world, stroke cases among people aged 15 to 49 rose by 36% from 1990 to 2021.
Researchers also pointed to weight, cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, and air pollution as important factors.
These findings suggest that several health and environmental risks may be involved.
Researchers have not identified a single cause for the increase in strokes among younger adults.
Diabetes, atrial fibrillation and high blood pressure were increasingly common among younger adults who experienced strokes.
Substance abuse in this group rose from 4.6% in 1993–94 to 40.2% in 2020, with much of the increase reflecting marijuana use.
A global analysis of 204 countries and territories found a 36% rise in stroke cases among people aged 15–49 between 1990 and 2021.
Important contributors to the global stroke burden included high blood pressure, high body mass index, elevated LDL cholesterol, high fasting blood glucose and air pollution.
- Who
- Younger adults, including people aged 15–49, and the researchers studying stroke trends.
- What
- Stroke cases among younger adults have increased, alongside several health conditions and risk factors.
- When
- The global increase occurred between 1990 and 2021; substance-abuse data compared 1993–94 with 2020.
- Where
- Across 204 countries and territories.
- Why
- Researchers have not established a single cause, but identified medical conditions, substance abuse and several health and environmental factors associated with the increase.
- Age group
- People aged 15–49 were included in the global analysis.
- Global change
- Stroke cases in this age group increased by 36% between 1990 and 2021.
- Geographic scope
- The analysis covered 204 countries and territories.
- Common conditions
- Diabetes, atrial fibrillation and high blood pressure became common among younger adults who experienced a stroke.
- Substance abuse
- The reported rate rose from 4.6% in 1993–94 to 40.2% in 2020.
- Substance trend
- Much of the increase in substance abuse reflected marijuana use.
- Identified contributors
- High systolic blood pressure, high body mass index, elevated LDL cholesterol, high fasting blood glucose and air pollution were identified as important contributors.