Stroke deaths will climb to 6.7 million annually

Stroke has already reached epidemic proportions and it is considered as the second leading cause of death and disability worldwide.

Stroke is the second leading cause of death and disability worldwide and is responsible for 116 million years of healthy life lost each year. The impact on individuals, families and society is incalculable. According to studies this year Over 13 million people will suffer from this and around 5.5 million people will die as a result. This can have different short- and long-term effects depending on which part of the brain is affected and how quickly it is treated.

One of the main disease processes leading to stroke is Atherosclerosis. The incidence of this problem increases significantly with age. There are many other risk factors, including tobacco use, physical inactivity, and unhealthy diet, harmful use of alcohol, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, raised blood lipid levels, obesity, male gender, genetic disposition and psychological factors.

Examining the causes of stroke:

Stroke is a condition where the blood supply to the brain is disrupted, resulting in oxygen starvation, brain damage and loss of function. It is most frequently caused by a clot in anartery supplying blood to the brain, a situation known as ischemia.It can also be caused by hemorrhage when a burst vessel causes blood to leak into the brain. Stroke can cause permanent damage, including partial paralysis and impairment in speech, comprehension and memory.

The extent and location of the damage determines the severity of this problem, which can range from minimal to catastrophic. Stroke has already reached epidemic proportions. Globally 1 in 4 adults over the age of 25 will have a stroke in their lifetime. 13.7 million people worldwide will have their first stroke this year and five and a half million will die as a result. Current trends suggest that the number of annual deaths will climb to 6.7 million annually without appropriate action.