Stroke in Younger and Older Adults

Many of the common stroke risk factors such as obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, physical inactivity, and smoking can occur in all age groups. Incidence and prevalence of metabolic syndrome have been increased among younger adults. Predominant causes for stroke differ in different age groups. Atherosclerosis, small vessel disease, and atrial fibrillation are the main causes of stroke in the older adults yet the causes of ischemic stroke in younger adults are diversified. Treatment protocol for acute stroke is essentially the same for young and old patients, with a focus on administration of tissue plasminogen activator as a first-line treatment.