Stroke Incidence And Mortality Rates Found To Be Higher In Developing Than In Developed Countries For First Time
July 29, 2017
There is evidence that stroke incidence rates in developing countries have increased by more than 100 per cent during the last four decades, while they have decreased by 42 per cent in developed countries over the same time period, according to new data presented at the World Congress of Cardiology (WCC) Scientific Sessions in Beijing, China.
Over a four-decade period, stroke incidence rates increased from 52 per 100,000 person-years (1970-1979) to 117 per 100,000 person-years (2000-2008) in developing countries. However, stroke incidence rates decreased significantly from 163 per 100,000 person-years (1970-1979) to 94 per 100,000 person-years (2000-2008) in developed countries. Moreover, the average early total stroke case-fatality was 27 per cent in developing countries (2000-2008) compared with 25 per cent in developed countries (2000-2008).
"The pattern of changes in stroke mortality rates are most likely to be attributable to changes in stoke incidence rates," said Dr. Valery Feigin, Director, National Research Centre for Stroke and Applied Neurosciences, AUT University, Auckland. "Urgent preventative measures need to be undertaken to halt this imminent stroke epidemic and to reverse the current alarming trend of ever increasing stroke burden in developing countries."
All available population-based stroke incidence studies in developing countries published between 1970-2008 were reviewed as part of this study.
Source:
World Heart Federation