Pharmacy Daily | Global stroke and heart disease fall

INCIDENCE of stroke and ischemic heart disease are mostly declining around the world, a team of international researchers found.

However, in East and West Sub-Saharan Africa, East and Central Asia and Oceania, ischemic heart disease is increasing, with the paper outlining key reasons why.

The authors noted that potential socioeconomic development of some countries is affecting rates of cardiovascular disease and stroke, and that places experiencing rapid economic transitions and rapidly changing lifestyle changes may also be seeing higher rates of disease.

The increases of ischemic heart disease seen in those regions was attributed to several key factors: a diet high in trans-fatty acids and low in calcium, high BMI, household air pollution from solid fuels, non-exclusive breastfeeding, occupational ergonomic factors, vitamin A deficiency and occupational exposure to particulate matter, gases and fumes.

Published in PLOS Public Health, the analysis considered global data from 1990-2019 for incidence of ischemic heart disease and stroke and for exposure to 87 potential attributable factors.

The incidences and trends were reported at a global, national and regional level, and showed higher rates of heart disease than stroke.

Globally, ischemic heart disease reduced from 316 to 262 per 100,000 people and stroke declined from 181 to 151 per 100,000 over the three decades.

"This study profiles the significantly different incidence trends of ischemic heart disease and stroke across countries, identifies eight potential contributors to the disparities, and reveals the pivotal role of socioeconomic development in shaping the country-level associations of the risk factors with the incidences of the two cardiovascular diseases," the authors concluded.

CLICK HERE to read the full study.