Meeting the challenges of stroke in India.

Abstract

Worldwide, cerebrovascular diseases are responsible for 6.15 million deaths (10.8% of all deaths)(1) and are the second most common cause of mortality; 87% of stroke deaths occur in low or middle income countries.(2) With the world's second largest population, India is witnessing several adverse trends for the cardiovascular health of its population, including a rapid rise in the proportion of patients with diabetes and dyslipidemia, and the relative lack of exercise among the general population. India has the world's largest population of patients with diabetes, with over 62 million people with diabetes in 2011.(3) At the current time, the population in India is projected to have over 1 million strokes per year. This figure will surely rise in the coming decades due to longer life expectancy and the downstream influence of risk factors such as diabetes.