Trends in mortality from stroke in the European Union, 1996-2015

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Cardiovascular Disease Research

Background:

• Stroke is a leading cause of death in Europe, accounting for a significant proportion of all mortality in men and women.
• Recent decades have witnessed substantial reductions in stroke mortality rates across most European nations.
• Understanding current trends is crucial for public health policy and resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze temporal trends in stroke mortality rates within the 28 member states of the European Union (EU) over a 20-year period.
• To identify geographical and gender-specific variations in stroke mortality trends.
• To provide data for informing stroke prevention and management strategies.

Main Methods:

• Utilized age-standardized stroke mortality data per 100,000 population from the World Health Organization database (1996-2015).
• Employed Joinpoint regression analysis to determine trends and calculate the annual percent change (APC).
• Conducted analyses stratified by gender and European region.

Main Results:

• Overall stroke mortality in the EU decreased by an average annual rate of 4.2% during the study period.
• All EU countries exhibited downward mortality trends, with the most significant decreases observed in Estonia, Portugal, and Austria.
• Statistically significant mortality reductions were noted for both men (4.2% APC) and women (4.3% APC), with steeper declines in southern and western Europe.

Conclusions:

• Stroke mortality has declined across the European Union in both sexes, with particularly pronounced decreases in southern and western European countries.
• These findings highlight the effectiveness of public health interventions and medical advancements in reducing stroke-related deaths.
• The study's results can inform the development of targeted primary prevention and acute management policies for stroke, especially in regions with higher persistent mortality.