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  Stroke
Key points
  Introduction
  Risk factors
  Policy context
  Data
  Key data sources
  Key references
  Useful links
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Stroke: key points

Stroke is predominantly a disease of elderly people.  Both incidence and mortality rates are much higher among older than younger people.

Incidence

  • Amongst the Scottish population, the incidence of stroke has fallen over time.
  • While a greater number of women have strokes than men, women tend to have strokes at an older age, and the age-standardised incidence rates for different age groups are higher for men than for women.

  • Risk factors for stroke include:
          - high blood pressure
          - high blood cholesterol
          - poor diet 
          - obesity
          - smoking
          - physical inactivity
          - excessive alcohol intake
          - diabetes
          - socio-economic deprivation.

Mortality

  • Stroke mortality in Scotland has fallen over time, but the rates remain high compared to most other western European countries. 
  • Scotland is on track to meet the target of a 50% reduction between 1995 and 2010 in the age-standardised death rate from stroke for people aged under 75. 
  • More women than men die from strokes, but as the female deaths tend to occur at an older age, the age-standardised mortality rates for several age groups are higher for men than women.
  • Mortality rates remain higher in west central Scotland and in deprived areas.