90 percent of strokes preventable: INTERSTROKE Study

Just when you thought strokes can strike anyone at any time, a team of researchers report that 90 percent of them are preventable.

High blood pressure remains the single most important modifiable risk factor for stroke and the impact of hypertension and nine other risk factors together account for 90 percent of all strokes, according to an analysis of nearly 27000 people from every continent in the world (INTERSTROKE).

Although the same ten risk factors were important and together accounted for 90 percent of stroke risk in all regions, the relative role of some individual risk factors varied by region, which the authors say should influence the development of strategies for reducing stroke risk.

The study led by Dr Martin O'Donnell and Prof Salim Yusuf of the McMaster University, along with collaborators from 32 countries, builds on preliminary findings from the first phase of the INTERSTROKE study, which identified ten modifiable risk factors for stroke in 6000 participants from 22 countries.

O'Donnell noted, "This study is of an adequate size and scope to explore stroke risk factors in all major regions of the world, within key populations and within stroke subtypes. The wider reach confirms the ten modifiable risk factors associated with 90 percent of stroke cases in all regions, young and older and in men and women. The study confirms that hypertension is the most important modifiable risk factor in all regions, and the key target in reducing the burden of stroke globally."

To estimate the proportion of strokes caused by specific risk factors, the investigators calculated the population attributable risk for each factor. The PAR, which is an estimate of the overall disease burden that could be reduced if an individual risk factor were eliminated, was 47.9 percent for hypertension, 35.8 percent for physical inactivity, 23.2 percent for poor diet, 18.6 percent for obesity, 12.4 percent for smoking, 9.1 percent for cardiac (heart) causes, 3.9 percent for diabetes, 5.8 percent for alcohol intake, 5.8 percent for stress, and 26.8 percent for lipids.

Many of these risk factors are known to also be associated with each other (e.g. obesity and diabetes), and when combined together, the total PAR for all ten risk factors was 90.7 percent, which was similar in all regions, age groups and in men and women.

Interestingly, the importance of some risk factors appeared to vary by region. For example, the PAR for hypertension ranged from 38.8 percent in western Europe, North America and Australia to 59.6 percent in Southeast Asia, the PAR for alcohol intake was lowest in western Europe, North America, Australia and highest in Africa (10.4 percent) and south Asia (10.7 percent), while the PAR for physical inactivity was highest in China.

Atrial fibrillation (irregular heart rhythm) was significantly associated with ischaemic stroke (PAR ranging from 3.1 percent in south Asia to 17.1 percent in western Europe, North America, and Australia), as was a high apolipoprotein [ApoB]/A1 ratio (PAR ranging from 24.8 percent in western Europe, North America, and Australia to 67.6 percent in southeast Asia).

Yusuf added, "Our findings will inform the development of global population-level interventions to reduce stroke, and how such programmes may be tailored to individual regions, as we did observe some regional differences in the importance of some risk factors by region. This includes better health education, more affordable healthy food, avoidance of tobacco and more affordable medication for hypertension and dyslipidaemia."

Writing in a linked Comment, Professor Valery L Feigin and Dr Rita Krishnamurthi from the National Institute for Stroke and Applied Neurosciences said: "Three key messages can be drawn from this study. First, stroke is a highly preventable disease globally, irrespective of age and sex. Second, the relative importance of modifiable risk factors and their PAR necessitates the development of regional or ethnic-specific primary prevention programmes, including priority settings such as focusing on risk factors contributing most to the risk of stroke in a particular region (as determined by PAR). Third, additional research on stroke risk factors is needed for countries and ethnic groups not included in INTERSTROKE, as well as definitive cost-effectiveness research on primary stroke prevention in key populations (eg, different age, sex, ethnicity, or region)."

They added, "It should also be emphasised that stroke prevention programmes must be integrated with prevention of other major non-communicable diseases that share common risk factors with stroke to be cost-effective. We have heard the calls for actions about primary prevention. Now is the time for governments, health organisations, and individuals to proactively reduce the global burden of stroke. Governments of all countries should develop and implement an emergency action plan for the primary prevention of stroke."

The study appears in The Lancet.