Most U.S. stroke risk is in the southeast

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ATLANTA, May 24 (UPI) -- Older adults, blacks, American Indians, those with fewer years of education and those living in the southeast, have elevated stroke risk, U.S. officials say.

A report published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report said those age 65 and older and American Indians had the highest risk for stroke, and the risk was lowest among Asian-Americans.

"Age-adjusted prevalence was higher among adults with a lower level of education compared with those with a higher level of education," the report said. "From 2006 to 2010, no statistically significant change in stroke prevalence was observed among women or among any particular age group, race/ethnicity, or level of education."

For men, prevalence declined from 2.8 percent in 2006 to 2.5 percent in 2009, and then increased to 2.7 percent in 2010, the report said.

In 2006, age-adjusted stroke prevalence ranged from 1.8 percent in Colorado, Massachusetts, North Dakota and Vermont to 4.4 percent in Alabama.

In 2010, age-adjusted stroke prevalence ranged from 1.5 percent in Connecticut to 4.1 percent in Alabama. From 2006 to 2010, only two states had a significant decline in stroke prevalence -- Georgia, from 3.3 percent to 2.8 percent, and South Dakota, from 2.2 percent to 1.8 percent.

In 2010, the states with higher stroke prevalence continued to be states in the southeast and Nevada, the report said.