According to a new study, the number of deaths worldwide due to ischaemic stroke is set to increase to nearly 5 million by 2030.
During a period of 29 years between 1990 and 2019, the cases of death from ischaemic stroke leaped from 2 million to more than 3 million.
The study, published in Neurology, focuses purely on ischaemic stroke.
Study author, Lize Xiong, says: “This increase in the global death toll of ischaemic stroke along with a predicted further increase in the future is concerning, but ischaemic stroke is highly preventable.
“Our results suggest that a combination of lifestyle factors like smoking and a diet high in sodium along with other factors such as high blood pressure and high body mass index can lead to an increased risk of stroke.”
In this study, the researchers analysed data from the Global Health Data Exchange from 1990-2019. The global number of ischaemic stroke deaths coincided with the growth of the worlds population, with the death rate from ischaemic stroke standing at 2.04 million in 1990 and increasing to 3.29 million in 2019.
However, this data is not all it seems as the stroke rate decreased from 66 strokes per 100,000 people in 1990 to 44 strokes per 100,000 in 2019.
Xiong says: “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 ageing.”
Researchers discovered that seven major risk factors including smoking, a diet high in sodium, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, kidney dysfunction, high blood sugar, and high BMI contributed to the increased number of strokes.
By using the database, the researchers predicted the number of deaths for 2020-2030.
They found that the death toll for ischaemic stroke is expected to increase further to 4.9 million in 2030. When researchers factored in the risk factors, they predicted that the overall number of deaths from stroke could reach 6.4 million if these risk factors are not controlled or prevented.
Editorial author, Carlos Cantú-Brito, says: “This study provides an insightful perspective on the global burden of ischaemic stroke.
“It points out many vital factors that should be used for informed policymaking, emphasising the need for policies and programs to promote healthy lifestyle choices, including regular physical activity, low-salt diets, and smoking cessation.”
The researchers state that a limitation of the study was that quality and accuracy of disease data from some countries cannot be guaranteed as many did not have reliable information on strokes.
