Why Stroke is So Common in the World
The first question to ask when discussing the issue of stroke is why the condition is so common.
It is not that the cause of stroke is unimportant. The disease is one of the most common causes of disability in the world.
While it is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide, stroke has been steadily declining in the United States recently.
It used to be the third leading cause of death and disability in the United States but recently has fallen to the fourth position.
Geographic disparities in stroke incidence are well documented but are not completely understood.
Transient ischemic attack
The cause of transient ischemic attack (TIA) is almost identical to that of ischemic stroke.
Blood platelets stick together and form clots that lodge in arteries.
While transient ischemic attack symptoms typically resolve on their own within an hour, the affected portion of the brain remains without oxygen for a few minutes.
Nevertheless, the symptoms are similar enough to warrant a doctor’s visit.
The goal of treatment for transient ischemic attacks is to reduce the short-term and long-term risks of recurrent attacks.
A common procedure is a carotid endarterectomy, which is performed to open up the narrowed carotid artery.
Carotid endarterectomy is performed only if the narrowing is severe, and is caused by fatty deposits in the arterial wall, which restrict blood flow to the brain
The procedure typically takes between one and two hours and is performed under anesthesia.
A transient ischemic attack is a warning sign that a stroke is imminent.
The symptoms of a TIA usually occur in the first few minutes after the TIA, and they often appear to be a mild version of a stroke.
One-third of all strokes in the world occur within a year of a TIA, which is why they are so important.
Hemorrhagic stroke
Hemorrhagic stroke is one of the most common causes of death worldwide, and the DALYs resulting from this disease have increased by nearly 30 percent since 1990.
The prevalence of strokes is increasing among both men and women, with the number of strokes in men doubling that of women between 1990 and 2000
Although the overall burden of stroke is declining, the number of deaths and DALYs caused by stroke is likely to remain high.
There are also planned updates to future versions of the GBD to estimate the incidence of stroke across different risk factors and by age group and World Bank country income level.
Age-standardized rates of stroke incidence and mortality were similar in the 1990-2019 period, but the incidence of stroke in low-income countries decreased by about 22 percent, and the DALYs suffered by individuals aged under 50 were higher than in high-income countries.
The age-standardized stroke mortality and DALYs rates were higher in the lower-middle-income group than in the high-income group, but the rate for DALYs increased by only six percent Globally, age-standardized rates of stroke are increasing, particularly among older people.
Moreover, the prevalence of stroke has increased in younger people as well, with the incidence rates for young people increasing rapidly in the last decade.
However, the rate of absolute deaths from stroke is expected to rise in the coming years, despite ongoing demographic shifts.
In other words, a higher risk of stroke is associated with a lower life expectancy.
Subarachnoid hemorrhage
A subarachnoid hemorrhaging occurs when the fluid-filled space surrounding the brain is ruptured.
It can occur as a result of a number of medical conditions, but the most common cause is head trauma. Of the survivors, half are left with significant disabilities.
Despite the increased awareness of the condition, it’s still relatively uncommon. Here’s what you need to know about this potentially fatal condition.
The main symptom of subarachnoid hemorrhages is a sudden, intense, and often painful headache.
Some people may experience these headaches as a result of an infection or an immune system condition, or they may suffer a primary sexual headache.
Regardless of the underlying cause, patients should receive medical attention as soon as possible.
The recovery time for those who suffer from SAH depends on the extent of the bleed.
Generally, there are two main clinical presentations of SAH: reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome and perivascular aneurysm.
The former is more common, with younger patients reporting sudden, severe headaches, neurologic deficits, and stroke, while older patients tend to experience transient sensory or motor symptoms, although these symptoms can also be related to cortical irritation.
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