Stroke: Mortality

Stroke: Mortality Stroke is a major cause of death and disability in the UK and across the world. What is stroke, how many people does it kill and how are mortality rates changing? Types of stroke Ischaemic stroke A blood clot forms in a main Haemorrhagic stroke A blood vessel in the brain artery or within the fine blood vessels deep inside the brain, blocking and reducing the blood supply. This causes brain-cell death and tissue damage, resulting in reduced brain function. ruptures and bleeds, causing brain-cell death, tissue damage and consequently reduced brain function. Subarachnoid haemorrhage, a subtype which occurs underneath the membrane that envelops the brain, is less common but much more deadly. It affects mostly women. arteries Ischaemic stroke can also happen when a blood clot, air bubble or fat globule forms within a blood vessel and is carried to the brain. Common consequences Speech and communication swallowing problems (disphasia and aphasia) Neuropathic pain Mobility problems (mainly arm movement) Visual Difficulty in Fatigue and Loss of bladder/bowel control Emotional difficulties (depression and anxiety) problems extreme tiredness Stroke kills 135 people in the UK every day, more than 49 000 per year 3 out of 5 are women What are the odds you'll die of stroke? Stroke kills nearly i in 10 Stroke is one of the biggest single causes of death in the UK, second only to coronary heart disease, also a 1/3 of those who have a stroke 9% Stroke 29% All cancers do not survive cardiovascular disease. 14% Coronary heart 14% Respiratory disease CAUSES OF DEATH IN THE UK (2010) diseases Age under 35 . • Age under 35 4% Injuries and polsoning 35-44 35-44 Other cardiovascular 45-54 45-54 diseases 21% All other causes 55-64 55-64 65-74 65-74 Risk is greater with age Age is the biggest risk factor for stroke. Of the people who die of stroke, 3 out of 75% 88% of women 4 men and nearly 9 out of 10 women die over the age of 75. The larger number of women being killed by stroke is thought to be simply due to women living longer than men, thus reaching in bigger numbers the ages when stroke becomes a large mortality risk. of men killed by stroke are killed by stroke are 75 and 75 and over over Winning the fight against stroke A steady decline Stroke mortality has been declining consistently for more than 40 years. Major factors contributing STROKE MORTALITY TREND (England and Wales) 80- 70- to this have been government campaigns promoting a healthy lifestyle, an increase in stroke-related prescriptions, the handling of stroke as an emergency requiring immediate diagnosis through brain scanning, and the proliferation of stroke- dedicated units in NHS hospitals. 40- 30- 20- 10 - o- Stroke mortality in England and Wales decreased from 140 to 70% 41 per 100 ooo betwen 1970 and 2010, a reduction of more than Note: Rates are directly age-standardised to the European Standard Population. Sources: General Register Office for Scotland; Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency; Office for National Statistics; Stroke Association Research and design: Paulo Estriga Writing: Sharlin Ahmed, Paulo Estriga Thanks to: Clare Walton and Nikki Hill (Stroke Association); Peter Scarborough (British Heart Foundation Health Promotion Research Group) wellcometrust Mortality rate per 100 00