Nearly half of patients are under 65, with high BP and diabetes common
New research shows stroke cases are affecting residents at a younger age than in Western countries.Supplied
Dubai: Stroke in the UAE is striking people more than a decade earlier than in Western countries, according to two independent studies conducted in medical universities in Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah — one a newly published medical journal paper and the other a large hospital-based manuscript.
Together, the findings paint a worrying picture for UAE residents: stroke is increasingly affecting people in their 30s, 40s and 50s, with high rates of hypertension, diabetes and obesity driving the trend.
The first study — a retrospective hospital-based manuscript from Ibrahim Bin Hamad Obaidullah Hospital in Ras Al Khaimah — analysed 837 stroke patients treated between 2020 and 2024. It is described as the first and largest hospital study examining stroke burden in the Northern Emirates.
One of the studies was published in January 2026 in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, while the other is a recent hospital-based manuscript analysing stroke cases between 2020 and 2024.
Researchers found the mean age of stroke patients was 55.7 years, significantly younger than typically reported in high-income Western countries.
Nearly half of all cases occurred between the ages of 45 and 65, and approximately one in four patients was under 45.
‘Markedly younger age’
The manuscript states that stroke in the UAE is occurring “at a markedly younger age compared to Western populations”, underscoring what researchers describe as a distinct epidemiological pattern.
The second study — published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine and conducted by researchers from Fatima College of Health Sciences and Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City — focused specifically on young adults admitted to a tertiary stroke centre in Abu Dhabi.
That study included 51 patients between October 2024 and March 2025, with a median age of just 40.
Researchers wrote that “stroke has traditionally been associated with the elderly, but this research confirms that stroke is becoming increasingly common among younger adults”.
High blood pressure, diabetes dominate
Both studies identified a heavy burden of cardiometabolic disease among stroke patients.
In the Ras Al Khaimah manuscript, 75.2 per cent of patients had hypertension and nearly half (49.5%) had diabetes. The authors describe this as a “high vascular risk factor burden”.
Women in that study had higher rates of hypertension, diabetes and atrial fibrillation, while smoking was significantly more common among men.
In the Abu Dhabi study, 35.3 per cent of patients were known hypertensives before admission, while 23.5 per cent were diabetics. However, hospital measurements showed many more had high blood pressure and abnormal blood sugar levels during admission.
The study concluded that “a substantial number of patients had high blood pressure and HbA1c scores during the hospital stay,” and called for routine screening in younger adults.
Men disproportionately affected
Both datasets show that men are significantly more affected.
In the Ras Al Khaimah manuscript, 76.2 per cent of stroke patients were male, with a male-to-female ratio of roughly 3:1. Men also experienced stroke at a significantly younger age than women — 54 years on average compared to 61.2 years for women.
In the Abu Dhabi cohort, 86.3 per cent of patients were male.
Researchers from the published study noted that “more young men are experiencing stroke due to lifestyle-related factors, many of which can be prevented.”
Obesity and weight-related risk
The Abu Dhabi study also highlighted obesity as a major concern among younger stroke patients.
The median body mass index (BMI) was 25.7, with 60.8 per cent categorised as overweight or obese. Two-thirds had an increased waist-to-height ratio, indicating elevated cardiometabolic risk.
The authors state that these findings “justify routine screening for risk factors in younger adults,” including hypertension, diabetes, obesity and lifestyle factors.
Stroke types and recurrence
Ischaemic stroke — caused by a blockage — was the dominant subtype in both studies.
In Ras Al Khaimah, 81 per cent of cases were ischaemic, while 19 per cent were haemorrhagic. Notably, haemorrhagic strokes were proportionally more frequent among younger patients.
Similarly, in Abu Dhabi, 92.2 per cent of patients had ischaemic strokes.
The Ras Al Khaimah manuscript also reported that 15.4 per cent of patients had a previous stroke, with recurrence strongly associated with age and diabetes.
A distinct UAE pattern
The Ras Al Khaimah authors conclude that their findings “highlight a distinct epidemiological pattern characterised by younger stroke onset, a high vascular risk factor burden, and significant sex differences.”
Meanwhile, the published Abu Dhabi study describes the trend as a “growing” one, calling for early screening, better prevention efforts and tailored rehabilitation programmes.
Taken together, two independent studies have arrived at a similar conclusion: stroke in the UAE is affecting people younger than expected, and many cases are linked to preventable risk factors.
For UAE residents, the message is clear. Stroke is no longer a disease confined to old age, and the warning signs are already visible in hospital data across the country.
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