Burden of Disease of Stroke

Stroke Burden of Disease

Prevalence:

Among adults age 20 and older, the estimated prevalence of stroke in 2006 was 6,400,000 (about 2,500,000 males and 3,900,000 females).

Incidence:

Each year about 795,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke. About 610,000 of these are first attacks, and 185,000 are recurrent attacks.

• On average, every 40 seconds someone in the United States has a stroke.

• Each year, about 55,000 more women than men have a stroke.

• Men’s stroke incidence rates are greater than women’s at younger ages but not at older ages. The male/female incidence ratio is 1.25 at ages 55–64; 1.50 for ages 65–74; 1.07 at 75–84 and 0.76 at 85 and older.

Of all strokes, 87 percent are ischemic, 10 percent are intracerebral hemorrhage, and 3 percent are subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Mortality:

Stroke accounted for about one of every 18 deaths in the United States in 2006. Stroke mortality for 2006 was 137,119 (54,524 males, 82,595 females).

When considered separately from other cardiovascular diseases, stroke ranks No. 3 among all causes of death, behind diseases of the heart and cancer.

On average, every four minutes someone dies of a stroke.

Among people ages 45–64, 8 to 12 percent of ischemic strokes and 37 to 38 percent of hemorrhagic strokes result in death within 30 days, according to the ARIC study of the NHLBI.

Because women live longer than men and stroke occurs at older ages, more women than men die of stroke each year. Women accounted for 60.6 percent of U.S. stroke deaths in 2006.

Take home message: Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the US. It is over 80% preventable as most of its risk factors are modifiable (high blood pressure, exercise and diet).