Stroke and stroke risk factors as disease burden

Stroke is the most common cause of disability and death in the world. Cardiovascular disease rates increase with age (10.9 % for people aged 20-30 years and 85.3 % for people older than 80 years). Coronary heart diseases is the leading cause of deaths attributable to cardiovascular diseases in the United States, followed by stroke, high BP, HF, diseases of the arteries, and other cardiovascular diseases. The report on the global burden of neurological disorders has shown that hemorrhagic stroke accounted for 35.7 % in it, and ischemic stroke, 22.4 %. Seven indicators are important and strategic to prevent cardiovascular disorders; they include healthy diet, sufficient physical activity, smokingstatius, BMI, cholesterol level, blood pressure, and glucose in blood on a fasting stomach. These indicators are associated with healthy behavior (diet quality, PA, smoking, BMI) which are as important as health factors (blood cholesterol, BP, blood glucose). There is a strong protective association between ideal cardiovascular health indicators and many clinical and preclinical conditions including premature all-cause mortality, stroke, CVD mortality, ischemic heart disease mortality, HF, deep venous thromboembolism, and pulmonary embolism. Atrial fibrillation, metabolic syndrome, renal failure, and sleep apnea are important risk factors which are modifiable and treatable. Air pollution has been reported as an increasing and very important risk factor for stroke. COVID-19 has been reported as another new stroke risk factor during the pandemic. Future targets must include each cardiovascular health indicator to decrease stroke risk burden and stroke risk.