The worldwide incidence and mortality rates for stroke decreased slightly from 1990 to 2019, but the overall numbers are still high, especially in high- and middle-income countries, according to a study published in the December 15, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study focused on ischemic stroke, which is caused by blood clots and makes up 85% of stroke cases.
“The decrease is likely due to better medical services available in high-income countries, which may offer earlier detection of stroke risk factors and better control of these risk factors,” said study author Liyuan Han, PhD, of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences in Ningbo, China. “But even in these countries, the total number of people with strokes is increasing due to population growth and aging. And worldwide stroke is the leading cause of death and a major cause of disability for adults.”
For the study, researchers analyzed data from 1990 to 2019 from the Global Health Data Exchange. During that time, the average age-adjusted incidence rate of stroke decreased by 0.43%, from a rate of 105 strokes per 100,000 people to 95 strokes per 100,000 people. The rate was higher in middle- and high-middle-income countries than in other areas.
