Strokes are on the rise among younger people, with a recentย CDC reportย revealing a 14.6% increase among people aged 18โ44 from 2020 to 2022.
While the alarming trend has been stumping medical professionals, one expert has shared some intriguing theories with The Post.
โWeโve never had patients so young,โ said Dr. Mohammad Anadani, Chief of Neuroendovascular Services for the Endeavor Health Neurosciences Institute.
Anadani believes both of their strokes were embolic โ which means they originated elsewhere in the body and traveled to the brain instead of forming directly in the brainโs blood vessels.
โBoth were taking oral contraceptives, which are known to increase the risk of stroke,โ he said, noting that Aubrey had a patent foramen ovale (PFO), or a hole in her heart, which likely contributed to her stroke by allowing a clot to bypass the lungs and travel to the brain.
โAs for the overall increase in strokes among younger adults, the exact reasons are not fully understood,โ he said.
Why so many people are having strokes in their 20s, 30s and 40s: โWeโve never had patients so youngโ https://t.co/3XGVTV1nBs pic.twitter.com/yMXVFfZD9u
— New York Post (@nypost) June 3, 2025
