This increase in the number of deaths worldwide from ischemic stroke, together with a further increase expected in the future, is concerning. “But ischemic stroke is highly preventable,” said the specialist Lize Xiong of the Tongji University in Shanghai.
According to a recently published study in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, The number of deaths worldwide from ischemic stroke increased from 2 million in 1990 to more than 3 million in 2019, although the rate fell due to population growth.
In that regard, the number of cases is expected to increase to almost 5 million by 2030. The study focused on the Ischemic stroke, which is the most common and occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is cut off or reduced, preventing it from receiving oxygen and nutrients. It is very important to recognize that a stroke is a medical emergency, and immediate treatment is crucial.
For the study that was disclosed, the researchers analyzed data from the Global Health Data Exchange from 1990 to 2019. In their observations, they were able to see that as the world’s population grew, the global number of deaths from ischemic stroke increased from 2.04 million in 1990 to 3.29 million in 2019. However, the rate of strokes decreased from 66 strokes per 100,000 people in 1990 to 44 strokes per 100,000 people in 2019.
This decline in the rate of stroke likely means that the overall increase in the number of strokes worldwide is mainly due to population growth and aging,” Xiong said, adding: “Our results suggest that a combination of lifestyle factors, such as smoking and a high-sodium diet, along with high blood pressure and a high body mass index (BMI) can lead to an increased risk of stroke”.
The researchers found that the number of deaths from ischemic stroke is expected to rise further to 4.9 million in 2030. When they took risk factors into account, they predicted that the total number of deaths from stroke could reach 6.4 million if these risk factors are not controlled or prevented. Promoting programs to improve healthy lifestyles, including regular physical activity, low-salt diets, and smoking cessation, are imperative to avoid that estimate in the years to come.
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