Nearly 10 million could die of stroke annually by 2050: Lancet report

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

lower middle income countries (LMICs), and cost up to $2 trillion per year, a new report published in the Lancet has warned.

According to the new analysis, stroke deaths will increase from 6.6 million in 2020 to 9.7 million in 2050.

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The number of stroke deaths in LMICs is projected to rise sharply — widening the gap with HICs — by increasing from 5.7 million in 2020 to 8.8 million in 2050. In contrast, stroke deaths in HICs are estimated to remain largely unchanged at around 900,000 between 2020 and 2050. In 2050, 91% of stroke deaths are projected to be in LMICs compared to 9% in HICs, up from 86% in LMICs and down from 14% HICs in 2020.

As per the report, Asia accounted for by far the greatest share of global stroke deaths in 2020 (61%, around 4.1 million deaths) and this is expected to rise around 69% by 2050 (around 6.6 million deaths).

«Though smaller relative to Asia, the number of annual global stroke deaths occurring in Sub-Saharan African countries will rise from 6% in 2020 (403,000) to 8% (765,000) in 2050,» said Professor Jeyaraj Pandian, president elect of the World Stroke Organization, one of the lead authors of The Lancet Regional Health — Southeast Asia journal Series on stroke in Southeast Asia.

«We have to closely examine what is causing this increase, including the growing burden of uncontrolled risk factors — especially high blood pressure, and lack of stroke prevention and care services in these regions. Without urgent action, stroke deaths in Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Oceania could increase by almost 2 million deaths, from 3.1 million in