Stroke rates rise in young people amid missed signs and misdiagnosis

Ben Murphy's first stroke, occurring when he was 27, went undiagnosed for over three days as he was moved between hospitals. He attributes the delay to his age and the COVID-19 pandemic's strain on healthcare. Doctors found a heart defect but did not recommend immediate treatment. Five years later, a more severe stroke left him unable to speak or use his right limbs, resulting in a three-month hospital stay.

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It happened during COVID, so they were trying to get people in and out.

Now 33, Murphy is still recovering, stating his life is not the same. The severity of his second stroke led to a procedure to close the opening in his heart. He is gradually regaining independence while living back on his family farm in Queensland.

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I completely lost my speech … and then I couldn't walk either because my right limbs, my hand, my leg, were just non-functional.

Data from the Stroke Foundation indicates that over 440,000 Australians live with stroke, with one in four occurring in working-age individuals. A World Stroke Organization review confirms a global rise in strokes among those under 55 since the early 2000s, contrasting with declining rates in older age groups. Stroke Foundation CEO Lisa Murphy notes that prevention efforts still primarily target older demographics, overlooking silent risk factors prevalent in younger people.

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My life isn't really the same again, because this time, I'm still recovering.

Neurology professor Vincent Thijs of the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health explains that the increase is specific to ischemic strokes, where blood clots block brain arteries. The reasons remain unclear, but potential links include increased drug use, air pollution, longer working hours, and delayed pregnancies. Patent Foramen Ovale, a heart defect like Mr. Murphy's, is also associated with cryptogenic strokes, which have no identifiable cause.

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We've known for a long time that risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and a thing called atrial fibrillation, which is an irregular heartbeat, all contribute to a risk factor of stroke.