The lifetime impact of stroke on younger adults also carries substantial costs to the individual and their families. A 2014 study, Follow-Up of Transient Ischemic Attack and Stroke Patients and Unelucidated Risk Factor Evaluation (FUTURE) showed that even after 10 years, about 1 of 8 patients (12.9%) with an Ischemic or Intracranial Hemorrhagic Stroke at a young age was not able to function independently. In patients with transient Ischemic Stroke, this was 1 of 15 (6.5%) survivors.

When younger adults(under 45 years old) suffer from a Stroke, it is important to find the cause as there is an increased possibility of a recurrent Stroke. What are the risk factors of Strokes in young adults?

Risk Factors of Stroke in Young Adults

• Heart Conditions: Cardiogenic causes (Rheumatic heart disease, heart valve abnormalities) represent approximately 20–30% of all Ischemic Strokes, a condition when an artery stops supplying blood to a part of a brain. This happens due to blood clots in the artery caused by cholesterol plaque build-up and usually affects young adults under the age of 45.

• Migraine: Even though migraine-induced Stroke is uncommon, it usually affects younger women. Migraine is caused by internal factors like genetics, hormonal imbalance or external factors like stress.

• Dyslipidemia: Dyslipidemia happens when there is an increase of lipids (fatty substance) in your bloodstream. This is caused by a lifestyle diet.

• Smoking: Smoking has an adverse effect on your body – it thickens your blood, increase the risk of blood clot and restrict oxygen in your blood.

• Hypertension (High Blood Pressure): Hypertension can damage your arteries and cause them to be narrower. This will lead to an increased risk of Stroke.

• High Blood Cholesterol: With high blood cholesterol, there is a higher risk of the cholesterol depositing itself in the walls of the artery. This cause the heart to work harder to pump blood through the arteries leading to hypertension and increasing the risks of stroke.

The Awareness Gap

“If you think that the pursuit of good health is expensive and time consuming, try illness.” – Lee Swanson

According to Prudential Singapore’s Health Poll, more than 70% of people in Singapore believe that they are healthy. However, the survey has also shown that the majority do not consume enough vegetables and fruits in their diet and that 1 in 3 Singaporeans are not exercising enough. There is still a gap in awareness when it comes to personal health matters. Prevention is better than cure so start making these changes in your lifestyle.

1. Balanced Diet – Include whole grains, more leafy vegetables and fruits in your diet. Reduce intake of salt and sugar in your diet. Find out how you can plan your diet using Health Promotion Board’s My Healthy Plate.
2. Exercise – It is recommended that you have at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise weekly. Set aside 20 minutes of your time every day to fulfil this!
3. Not Smoking – Avoid smoking at all costs.
4. Get adequate sleep – Findings have shown that Singaporeans are sleep-deprived and they are not getting adequate sleep due to long hours of work. Not having adequate sleep contributes to multiple health risks like increased risk of heart diseases, heart attack, heart failure, diabetes, hypertension and stroke.
5. Work-Life Balance – Find time to destress and power down. Studies have shown that 9 in 10 Singaporeans do not know how to “power down” and relax.
   

Eating healthy and getting fit does not have to be expensive or time consuming. It will require time and effort but you can spend more time with your friends or family to cook healthier food at home or exercise together.

We also recommend reading Your Guide to Oral Nutritional Supplements (ONS) and Apps For Diabetics: 5 Aspects To Look Out For.

At Jaga-Me, we believe that healthcare should be a social good – it is a basic human need, and should be available to as many people as possible. We aim to deliver the highest quality care through innovation and a commitment to building meaningful relationships.

Save travelling and long wait times at the hospitals. Get specialised medical treatments:
– Urinary Catheterisation
– Complex Wound Care
– Nasogastric (NG) Feeding Tube
– IV Infusion Therapy

Jaga-Me: Your Trusted Medical Home Care Professional

Types of Complications

According to the National Registry of Diseases Office – With uncontrolled Diabetes it can lead to further complications like other chronic diseases:

• Heart Diseases: 1 in 2 people who suffered from a heart attack is diabetic. Diabetes damages blood vessels and nerves that controls heart functions.over time. Type 2 Diabetes is associated with a 2–4 fold increase in the risk of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA).

• Stroke: 2 in 5 people who suffered from a stroke is diabetic. Diabetes often cause arterial stiffness, inflammation and thickening of the capillaries thus contributing to the increased risks of Ischemic stroke incidence in all age groups.

• Kidney failure: 2 in 3 kidney failure patients are diabetic. Diabetes Mellitus, a condition characterised by high glucose levels. High levels of glucose can damage the tiny filters in the kidney over time.

• Eye diseases: Most diabetic patients will develop Retinopathy, which is one of the main causes of blindness in young adults today. Retinopathy happens when the tiny blood vessels in the retina become damaged due to Diabetes. Keep glucose levels low and go for regular eye checkups to prevent Retinopathy.

• Oral complications: Diabetic patients will have increased chances of gum complications – like inflammation of the gums and tooth loss. Oral thrush can also occur when the gums are inflamed, and with high levels of glucose in saliva.

• Pregnancy Complications: If you are pregnant and diabetic, you are at a higher risk of problems during delivery. Macrosomia is a condition when the foetus grows too large and mothers with Type I and II Diabetes are at a higher risk of this condition.

5 Quick Tips to Manage Diabetes

1. Go for your regular doctor’s appointment and know your condition.

Take control of your condition and know where to make changes in your lifestyle to ensure that you can prevent any further complications.

2. Medications

To control and manage diabetes, it is important to take your medications regularly as prescribed by your doctor. Most medications are orally taken and they help to regulate the blood sugar levels.

3. Live a healthy and active lifestyle

Control your diet – eat more whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Limit your intake of sugar and salt. Ensure that you have at least 150 minutes of exercise every week.

• Plan your meal times and ensure that it coincides with the time for you to take your medications.
• Control your diet and eat more whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
• Limit your intake of sugar and salt.
• Ensure that you have at least 150 minutes of exercise every week.

4. Limit alcohol intake

Alcohol will affect your glucose levels and your meal timings. Alcohol drinkers will experience fluctuating sugar levels and may contribute to over-eating if sugar level fluctuates too low. Try to avoid drinking alcohol if you are diabetic.

5. Do not smoke

Smoking will increase complications. The combination of blood sugar and smoking increases the damage to blood vessels feeding our organs. The risks from smoking is well known and not limited to just Diabetes.

There are many other complications to diabetes such as hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Want to find out how you can manage hypoglycemia and take control of your diabetes? Read our article on “How to Improve your Life as a Diabetic Patient”.  

We also recommend reading Your Guide to Oral Nutritional Supplements (ONS) and Apps For Diabetics: 5 Aspects To Look Out For.

At Jaga-Me, we believe that healthcare should be a social good – it is a basic human need, and should be available to as many people as possible. We aim to deliver the highest quality care through innovation and a commitment to building meaningful relationships.

Save travelling and long wait times at the hospitals. Get specialised medical treatments:
– Urinary Catheterisation
– Complex Wound Care
– Nasogastric (NG) Feeding Tube
– IV Infusion Therapy

Jaga-Me: Your Trusted Medical Home Care Professional