Neurologist In Tulsa Says Increase In Younger People Suffering Strokes Is Preventable

Some Oklahoma doctors said they are seeing more young people suffering from strokes and it is a health trend that has them worried. Dr. Andre Fredieu said he's also seeing younger people who are having more severe strokes too.

Wednesday, December 1st 2021, 4:32 pm



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Some Oklahoma doctors said they are seeing more young people suffering from strokes and it is a health trend that has them worried. Dr. Andre Fredieu said he's also seeing younger people who are having more severe strokes too.

Pat Simpson is a 72-year-old stroke survivor. Two years ago, her speech was off and that's what landed her with the Utica Park Clinic Neurology team. “I picked up the newspaper and read the line again he said you need to go to the emergency room and I thought pfff. I was going to bed and I guess you don’t hear your own speech when you’re saying it," said Simpson. She hopes her story will be a wake-up call for others.

“If you’re having any neurological symptoms remember, be fast. Balance, eyes, face, arm, speech, time, or terrible headache. Come in as quickly as you possibly can to give us a chance to provide therapies," said Dr. Fredieu.

Dr. Fredieu is the Utica Park Clinic Director of Oklahoma Stroke and Neurological Institute. He said in the 20 years he's spent working in medicine, he's never seen this new trend of strokes in those 50 years and younger.

Younger patients are having larger strokes. Sometimes they’re having hemorrhagic or bleeding strokes. In addition, we’re seeing more patients with embolic strokes where you have a stroke that kind of showers the brain," said Dr. Fredieu.

He said the shocking part is 80% of strokes are controllable if people will get their high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, smoking, and high cholesterol under control.

Simpson's stroke changed her life and her recovery isn't fast. “Sudoku or something to just try to keep my brain working more quickly. It’s kind of like a marathon. You gotta keep working at it," said Simpson.

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