Stroke gains ground as a global killer

By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, May 19, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Worldwide, deaths from the most common type of stroke have risen dramatically over the past three decades and will rise even steeper in the years to come, researchers say.

“This increase in the global number of deaths from ischemic strokes, as well as a further increase expected in the future, is concerning, but ischemic strokes are highly preventable,” the study author said. Dr. Lize Xiongfrom Tongji University in Shanghai, China.

“Our results suggest that a combination of lifestyle factors such as smoking and a high sodium diet along with other factors such as high blood pressure and high body mass index may lead to an increased risk of ‘stroke,” Xiong said in a press release.

The news isn’t all bad, however. Data from the Global Health Data Exchange also showed the stroke rate fell from 66 strokes per 100,000 people in 1990 to 44 strokes per 100,000 people in 2019.

“This decrease in the stroke rate likely means that the overall increase in the number of strokes worldwide is mainly due to population growth and aging,” Xiong said.

Researchers have predicted the number of deaths for 2020 to 2030, estimating that they will reach 4.9 million by 2030.

That could be as high as 6.4 million if risk factors are not controlled or prevented, the study authors noted.

The seven major risk factors for ischemic stroke are smoking, high sodium diet, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, kidney dysfunction, high blood sugar, and high body mass index.

The quality and accuracy of disease data from some countries cannot be guaranteed, which is a limitation of the study.

The American Stroke Association has more on ischemic stroke.

SOURCE: Neurologypress release, May 17, 2023

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