[Stroke : epidemiological trends and challenges]

Stroke remains a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Since the 1990s, the number of cases has been steadily increasing, a trend expected to continue with rising life expectancy, greater public awareness, and improved diagnostic tools. However, in high-income countries, age-adjusted incidence tends to decline, largely due to improved preventive measures. Conversely, the new International Classification of Diseases (11th edition) includes patients with neurological symptoms lasting less than 24 hours showing radiological evidence of an ischemic lesion within the stroke definition, leading to an approximately 18% increase in stroke diagnoses. This evolution highlights the importance of a radioclinical diagnostic approach to stroke.