Overview

• A Swedish cohort study of 5,155 individuals with Down syndrome found a 4.41-times higher risk of ischemic stroke and a 5.14-times higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke compared to the general population.
• While overall heart attack risk is comparable to the general population, individuals with Down syndrome under 40 years old face a 3.5-fold increased risk of myocardial infarction.
• The study challenges previous assumptions that Down syndrome provided protection against atherosclerosis-related cardiovascular events.
• The findings highlight critical gaps in clinical guidelines and emphasize the need for tailored screening, prevention, and treatment strategies for aging individuals with Down syndrome.
• Life expectancy for people with Down syndrome has risen from 25 years in the early 1980s to nearly 60 years today, bringing age-related health risks into sharper focus.