Thursday, May 8, 2025 (Healthday News) – People with Down syndrome have a much higher risk of stroke than people without genetic disorder, says a recent study.
Patients with Down syndrome have a 5.14 times higher than a stroke caused by cerebral hemorrhage, and a more than 4 times higher risk of suffering a stroke caused by a blood clot, the researchers reported in the May 7 edition of the Journal of Internal Medicine magazine.
Younger patients with Down syndrome also have a higher risk of heart attack, researchers found.
“Our results show that individuals with Down syndrome have a higher risk of some cardiovascular results related to age, and indicate, in line with the results of previous studies, that their profile of cardiovascular risk factors differs from that of the general population,” said the principal researcher, Annie Pedersen, of the University of Gootemburg, in Sweden.
In Down syndrome, patients have an additional copy of chromosome 21, which changes the way in which their body and brain develop, according to the centers for disease control and prevention (CDC) of the USA.
During the last decades, the life expectancy of people with Down Syndrome has increased dramatically, going from an average of 25 years in the early 1980s to 60 years in 2020, the researchers said in support notes.
However, with age the risk of health problems related to the heart increases. The researchers wondered if the genetic differences of Down syndrome could mean different risks for these patients as they age.
-In the study, the researchers followed almost 5,200 people with Down syndrome born in Sweden between 1946 and 2000, and compared their risk of stroke and heart attack with the general population of the country.
The results that show a higher risk of ACV “could have future implications for the surveillance and treatment of individuals with Down Syndrome,” said Pedersen.
It is likely that the increase in the risk of stroke related to blood clots is due to the presence of congenital heart disease or diabetes, instead of being the result of the obstruction of the arteries, the researchers said.
In the same way, it is possible that strokes by cerebral hemorrhage among patients with Down syndrome could be due to obesity, high cholesterol, lack of exercise and other unhealthy lifestyle factors, the researchers pointed out.
More information
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the USA offers more information about Down syndrome.
Sources: Wiley, press release, May 7, 2025; Journal of Internal Medicine, May 7, 2025
