NEW YORK, Oct 11, (Agencies): A recent report from the World Stroke Organization-Lancet Neurology Commission has delivered a sobering prediction: without significant efforts to combat stroke and its risk factors, global stroke-related deaths will surge by 50% by 2050. Currently, the second leading cause of death worldwide, stroke claimed 6.6 million lives in 2020, a number projected to skyrocket to 9.7 million by 2050.

Dr. Sheila Martins, President of the World Stroke Organization, emphasized the urgent need for improved stroke services globally, highlighting the dire state of stroke prevention and care. A qualitative analysis involving 12 stroke experts from various countries identified key barriers to quality surveillance, prevention, care, and rehabilitation. These barriers include low public awareness of stroke and its associated risk factors such as diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, poor diet, and smoking. Remarkably, 91% of the projected stroke deaths will occur in low- and middle-income countries.

Even within high-income countries, the report underscores inequalities, particularly for individuals living in poverty. These discrepancies are linked to varying exposure to untreated or poorly managed risk factors. The rise in strokes not only exacts a physical toll but also a substantial financial one. The report predicts that the cost of treating and supporting stroke patients may double, reaching $2.3 trillion by 2050, with Africa and Asia shouldering the brunt.

Dr. Valery Feigin, Co-Chair of the Commission, urged governments worldwide to implement legislative regulations and taxation on unhealthy products like salt, alcohol, sugary drinks, and trans fats. The introduction of telemedicine is highlighted as a transformative tool, aiding in providing treatment access for specialists.

The report proposes 12 evidence-based recommendations for global stroke prevention, including establishing low-cost surveillance systems, raising public awareness, and improving acute stroke care. Last month, the World Health Organization underscored hypertension as a leading risk factor for death and disability, with high blood pressure linked to stroke risk. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet, normal weight, abstaining from alcohol and tobacco, and regular exercise remain vital for preventing stroke and hypertension. Strokes are characterized by sudden severe headaches, vision problems, difficulty walking, limb paralysis, and numbness in the face or limbs. There are two primary stroke types: ischemic and hemorrhagic, with ischemic strokes more common. Transient ischemic attacks, or mini-strokes, which are brief blockages of blood flow to the brain, can also serve as harbingers of future, more severe strokes.