The number of people in their fifties being admitted to hospital following a stroke has risen by more than half (55%) in the past 20 years, worrying figures from the NHS have shown.
Data from NHS England has shown an overall increase to 111,137 stroke admissions in England in 2023-24 from 87,069 in 2004-05, or a 28% increase.
However, admissions among people aged 50-59 have risen much faster (8,063 in 2004-05 versus 12,533 in 2023-24) – and are in fact the highest increase among any age group, NHS England said. By comparison, there had been a 42% increase for those aged 60-69, and a 25% rise for ages 70-79.
These increases have been driven in part by the UK’s ageing population and the impact of lifestyle factors on the nation’s cardiovascular health, NHS England has said.
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The increase in admissions among those aged 50-59 may also be associated with factors including better detection and reporting, hypertension, obesity, poor diet and lack of exercise, the service added.
The figures have come as the NHS has launched a major campaign, based on its longstanding act ‘FAST’ acronym, urging the public to call 999 immediately if anyone experiences one of the three most common symptoms of strokes.
These include struggling to smile (‘Face’) or raise an arm (‘Arms’) or slurring their words (‘Speech’).
With 38,000 stroke-related deaths each year, it is the fourth single leading cause of death in the UK.
A stroke can happen to anyone at any age, but those at increased risk include people aged over 50 years old, people from a Black or South Asian background, or those living with existing conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes or sickle cell disease.
Dr David Hargroves, NHS national clinical director for stroke and consultant stroke physician, said: “The significant rise in people across all age groups experiencing a stroke is worrying and highlights the importance of our new NHS campaign to urge the public that while the first sign of a stroke might not seem like much, face or arm or speech, at the first sign it’s time to call 999.
“Thanks to greater awareness of the symptoms and advances in NHS care, more people are now surviving a stroke than ever before, but there is much more to do help save lives and reduce their long-term impact. Acting FAST remains vital – whether it is a friend, loved one or even a passer-by, dialling 999 quickly saves lives.”
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, added: “The surge in admissions seen among those in their fifties reiterates very clearly that, while more common in the over-70s, strokes are not just a risk for older people – it is essential that everyone is aware of the symptoms to look out for, and knows to dial 999 quickly.
“There are likely to be a range of causes behind this alarming increase, but we know that lifestyle, and particularly obesity, poor diet and lack of exercise, are among common factors that can increase risk of stroke and have a significant impact on cardiovascular health for people of working age in their fifties and sixties.”
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