Stroke

Stroke is defined by the World Stroke Organization as a clinical syndrome consisting of 'rapidly developing clinical signs of focal (at times global) disturbance of cerebral function, lasting more than 24 h or leading to death with no apparent cause other than that of vascular origin' (1).

• a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) is defined as stroke symptoms and signs that resolve within 24 hours
  
• strokes result from:
  • cerebral infarction (84%):
    • secondary to thrombosis (53%); or
    • embolus (31%)
  • primary intracerebral haemorrhage (10%)
  • subarachnoid haemorrhage (6%)
    
• a non-disabling stroke is defined as a stroke with symptoms that last for more than 24 hours but later resolve, leaving no permanent disability
  
• symptoms experienced depend on the part of the brain that is affected
  • usually occur suddenly and without any warning
  • common symptoms include loss of movement or sensation in an arm or leg, problems speaking, a drooping of one side of the face or problems with vision
    
• a stroke can occur at any age
  • average age for stroke varies across the UK, with a median age of 77 years (interquartile range 67 to 85)
  • a quarter of strokes occur in people of working age
    
• first-ever stroke affects 230 people per 100,000 each year, with over 80,000 people hospitalised per year in England
  
• the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme show that 13.6% of people admitted to hospital with stroke in England and Wales died (either in hospital or after being discharged from inpatient care) within 30 days
  • are approximately 1.2 million stroke survivors in the UK
    
• risk of recurrent stroke is 26% within 5 years of a first stroke and 39% by 10 years

References

1. Feigin V et al. World Stroke Organization (WSO): Global Stroke Fact Sheet 2022. Int J Stroke. . 2022 Jan;17(1):18-29
2. NICE. Stroke and transient ischaemic attack in over 16s: diagnosis and initial management. NICE guideline NG128. Published May 2019, last updated April 2022.