Research highlights disparities in heart disease and stroke trends worldwide

The incidence of stroke and ischemic heart disease is declining worldwide, except in a handful of regions. research in PLOS Global Public Health. Wanghong Xu of Fudan University and colleagues find that in East and West Sub-Saharan Africa, East and Central Asia, and Oceania, ischemic heart disease is increasing, which can be attributed to eight factors, including diet, high BMI, air pollution in households and more. .

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, and ischemic heart disease and stroke accounted for 16% and 11% of total deaths, respectively, in 2019. Over time, the incidence of both cases has decreased, but the distribution of this decrease varies and in some regions there is an upward trend.

The team analyzed global data from 1990-2019 for the incidence of ischemic heart disease and stroke and for exposure to 87 potentially attributable factors. The authors describe the incidence and trends at global, regional and national levels, and find higher rates of ischemic heart disease than stroke. In thirty years, the number of ischemic heart diseases fell from 316 to 262 per 100,000 people, and the number of strokes from 181 to 151 per 100,000.

The increase in ischemic heart disease observed in some regions may be associated with the changing distribution of eight factors: a diet high in trans fatty acids; diet low in calcium; high BMI; domestic air pollution from solid fuels; non-exclusive breastfeeding; work ergonomics factors; vitamin A deficiency; and occupational exposure to particulate matter, gases, and vapors, which were determined by World Bank income levels.

The results indicate how the potential socio-economic development of some countries affects rates of cardiovascular disease and stroke, and that places experiencing rapid economic transitions – and rapid lifestyle changes – may also experience higher rates of disease. This research provides insight into the mechanisms involved and the possibilities for targeted interventions.

The authors add: “This study profiles the significantly different incidence trends of ischemic heart disease and stroke across countries, identifies eight potential contributors to the differences, and reveals the central role of socioeconomic development in shaping the associations between the country-level risk factors. the incidence of the two cardiovascular diseases.”