Prevention of Stroke

Worldwide vascular disease is the most common cause of death and one of the most important causes of adults developing long-term disability. Ischaemic heart disease is the number one cause with cerebrovascular disease taking second position. The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study data [1] are summarised in Fig. 7.1 showing that as a cause of disability little will have changed between the early 2010 and 2020. Stroke is largely a preventable disease. It is estimated that if hypertension and hyperlipidaemia were controlled at a whole population level about 80% of all strokes would be prevented.