Stroke: fewer deaths but underestimated symptoms, how to recognise them in order to act quickly
The disease affects 15 million people globally every year: 5 million die and 5 million suffer permanent disability, the Iss's point on treatment and prevention
Key points
The symptoms are well known but too often still underestimated. Numbness in the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body, a state of confusion, difficulty in speaking or understanding speech but also in seeing or walking while keeping one's balance, could be signs of a stroke. In this case there is no time to lose, action must be taken immediately.
"Stroke is a time-related disease, i.e. the earlier the intervention, the higher the probability of a full recovery, so it is crucial to recognise the signs of stroke early on,' explain Luigi Palmieri and Chiara Donfrancesco, researchers at the Department of Cardiovascular, Dysmetabolic and Ageing Diseases at the Istituto Superiore di Sanità. If you see someone showing signs of stroke, immediately call a doctor or an ambulance and report the suspected stroke. It is advisable to do so even if the symptoms are not very serious, because a stroke can progress.
Stroke affects 15 million people globally every year, recalls the Iss, which on the occasion of World Stroke Day on 29 October takes stock of the disease: 5 million lose their lives and another 5 remain permanently disabled, placing a burden on their families and communities. Survivors may suffer loss of sight or speech, become paralysed and confused. In addition, people who have already had a stroke have a significantly increased risk of further episodes.
Italian data: fewer deaths in the last 30 years with prevention and treatment
In Italy, diseases of the circulatory system, which include stroke (in addition to ischaemic diseases of the heart, cerebrovascular diseases and other heart diseases), are the leading cause of death with 30.9 per cent of all deaths in 2022 (latest available mortality data). And deaths from cerebrovascular diseases account for 24.6 per cent of all deaths due to diseases of the circulatory system. In our country, in line with Europe but unlike low-middle income countries, there has been a decline in the number of cases and mortality from stroke over the last three decades.
Negli ultimi anni in Italia si continua a registrare una riduzione dei decessi per le malattie del sistema circolatorio: il tasso di mortalità standardizzato (Eurostat 2013) si è ridotto dell’10,9% nei 6 anni dal 2017 al 2022: dal 30,3 per 10.000 abitanti nel 2017 al 27 per 10.000 abitanti nel 2022. Nello stesso periodo il tasso di mortalità delle malattie cerebrovascolari si è ridotto del 14,8% (da 7,77 a 6,62 per 10.000 abitanti). Se si osserva la tendenza dal 1980 fino al 2022, il tasso di mortalità delle malattie cerebrovascolari si è ridotto del 73,4% (75,1% negli uomini e 72,7% nelle donne). “Questa riduzione della mortalità per le malattie del sistema circolatorio, incluso l’ictus – commentano Palmieri e Donfrancesco - è stata favorita dal miglioramento dell’efficacia delle misure di prevenzione e terapeutiche. Parallelamente, il potenziamento degli interventi assistenziali e riabilitativi hanno contribuito a ridurre la disabilità associata a queste patologie”.
