Abstract Body: Introduction
Stroke is the 2^nd leading cause of death and disability worldwide. In 2021, stroke accounted for 1 in 6 deaths from cardiovascular disease. About 87% (87 of 100) of all strokes are ischemic strokes, in which blood flow to the brain is blocked. A recent report from the World Stroke Organisation has projected a 50% increase in stroke-related deaths by 2050.
Methods
Using the global burden of disease data, we estimated deaths, annual percentage change (APC) in death rate, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). comparative analysis was conducted based on age, gender, and region.
Results
The total number of cases rose significantly from 34 million (95% CI: 32-37 million) in 1990 to 70 million (95% CI: 65-75 million) in 2021. Interestingly, the highest increase in APC for death rate is observed in Montenegro, by 1.62%, while Singapore experienced a greatest decline, of 6.72% from 1990 – 2021. APC decreased by 1.68% in the USA. The age-standardized death rate is also markedly lowered from 73.15 (95% CI: 66 - 78) in 1990 to 44.18 (95% CI: 39 - 48) in 2021. The age-standardized prevalence and incidence rate also declined between 1990 and 2016, however in the last five years (2017-2021) both have been raised. Overall males experienced a higher disease burden as compared to females in 2021 with a death rate (51.2 vs 38.5), and a DALYs rate (975.3 vs 719.52). The most noticeable finding of our study is that in the age group of less than 80 years, males have a higher burden however, in the 80+ years of age group female patients are more prominent. Among WHO regions, Eastern Mediterranean Region has the highest age-standardized death rate which is 73.36 and the Region of Americas has the lowest which is only 20.63.
Conclusion
In 2021, the total number of deaths from ischemic stroke is around 3.5 million. Remarkably the death rate has decreased in the past 30 years however, in the past 5 years incidence rate and prevalence rate have risen, which requires an urgent need for comprehensive healthcare strategies. Elderly females are more vulnerable than elderly males. Effective management including, robust screening of the elderly population, advancing diagnostic skills as well as enhancing patient care is essential for slashing the mortality rate.