Approaching your mid-40s or beyond? Watch out

As Stroke Awareness Month approaches, another article illustrating the need for awareness, Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association:

Rates of the most common form of stroke begin to increase sharply after age 44, particularly in men, researchers reported ... .

In a Finnish study of 1,008 ischemic stroke patients less than 50 years old, researchers also found:

• a high frequency of stroke risk factors in young patients;
• a high percentage of “silent” and multiple strokes;
• the pattern of stroke-causing events begins changing in midlife to resemble that of the elderly.

My stroke occurred at age 39 - and I suspect a pretty serious TIA about 10 years earlier. So do a favor for a friend: Remind them of stroke signs.