World Stroke Day: Daiichi Sankyo highlights stroke risks associated with cardiovascular diseases
To mark its support for World Stroke Day, Daiichi Sankyo has initiated a campaign that highlights stroke risks associated with cardiovascular diseases…
The 29th October marks World Stroke Day, a global initiative to promote education and awareness of stroke and the burden posed.
This year’s theme is ‘I am woman’ because women are not only at higher risk of stroke, but are also more likely to die from the condition compared to men.
Commenting on the initiative Professor John Camm, Professor of Clinical Cardiology at St. George’s University London and Professor of Cardiology at Imperial College London, said, “It is estimated that strokes account for a tenth of all deaths in the world every year, therefore promoting awareness of the risk factors should be a top priority for all policy makers and healthcare providers. Women are more likely to experience hypertension, diabetes, depression and obesity, all of which increase the likelihood of stroke. Given the increased risk, it is vital that we call on more women to get health checks and to better understand their stroke risk.”
Atrial fibrillation a key risk factor for stroke
A key risk factor for stroke is atrial fibrillation (AF), a condition in which the heartbeat is rapid and irregular. People with AF have a five times higher stroke risk compared to the general population and women are 2.5 times more likely to die from the condition than men. Awareness of the signs and symptoms of the disease are therefore needed to ensure detection of AF and reduce the risk of AF-related stroke.
Speaking about the association between AF and stroke, Professor John Camm continued, “Those with atrial fibrillation have a five-fold increased risk of stroke, with AF-related strokes accounting for 15% of the 15 million strokes that occur globally every year. Recent estimates suggest that around 33 million people in the world have AF. We need to raise awareness of the link between this condition and stroke, to ensure that as many people as possible are diagnosed and treated with anticoagulation medication accordingly, and are therefore better protected from stroke.”
A European initiative by Daiichi Sankyo highlights the risks associated with AF and high blood pressure. The Campaign “Make Your Heart Feel Good” points out that high blood pressure and AF are interlinked as studies suggest that hypertension is the disease most likely to predict that someone will develop AF in the future