Health and Me

Rachel V Thomas

1 in 7 Stroke Patients In India Are Under 45; Hypertension Leads Risk Factors: ICMR Study

One in seven stroke patients in India are young adults aged below 45 years, with <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/hypertension">hypertension</a> leading as the major risk factor, according to a study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The study, published in the International Journal of Stroke, showed that two in five patients arrived in the hospital after 24 hours of onset of symptoms, highlighting the need for improving awareness about the first hour (golden hour) in stroke care.

“The findings highlight the gaps in acute stroke care, including delayed hospital arrival, limited access to advanced treatments, and inadequate follow-up services,” said Prashant Mathur, Director, ICMR—National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research, Bengaluru, in the paper. 

“Stroke continues to pose a major public health burden, with poor outcomes. The study shall contribute to the development of evidence-based comprehensive strategies for stroke prevention, effective management, and improved treatment outcomes,” he added. 

<h2>What Stroke Patterns Did The Study Find? </h2>

The team included 34,792 stroke cases from 30 Hospital-Based Stroke Registries (HBSRs) across India, recorded between 2020 and 2022.

About 64 percent of the stroke patients were males, and 36.6 percent were females. 

Stroke in the younger age group (aged below 45 years) constituted 13.8 percent of the total cases. More than 70 per cent of the participants were residents from rural areas. 

Hypertension (74.5 percent) was the most common risk factor, followed by smokeless tobacco use (28.5 percent) and diabetes mellitus (27.3 percent). 

<a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/ischemic-stroke">Ischemic stroke</a> accounted for 60 percent of cases. Only 20.1 percent were presented within 4.5 hours of symptom onset, while 37.8 percent of cases presented after 24 hours.

The commonest symptoms at onset included motor impairment (74.8 percent), followed by speech disturbance (51.2 percent), dysphagia (30.4 percent), and impaired consciousness (25.6 percent). 

The study also highlighted substantial disparities in stroke care services. Time-sensitive therapies like thrombolysis were given in 4.6 percent of cases, while thrombectomy was administered in 0.7 percent of ischemic strokes. 

At three months, 27.8 percent of patients had died, while nearly 30 percent suffered significant disability, and 1.1 percent had a recurrent stroke. This highlighted the need for improving comprehensive stroke care across India. 

Stroke remains one of the leading global health burdens, causing significant deaths and disability worldwide, including in India. Compared to Western countries, stroke also tends to occur at a younger age and is associated with a higher case fatality rate in the country. 

The Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 identified hypertension, air pollution, tobacco smoking, high cholesterol, increased salt intake, and diabetes as the leading risk factors of stroke. 

Incidence of stroke is increasing significantly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), especially in India, due to population growth, aging, and greater exposure to risk factors.

The estimated stroke incidence in India ranged from 108 to 172 per 100,000 population, and 1-month case fatality varied from 18 percent to 42 percent. 

As per data from the ICMR-NCDIR, India has a crude stroke incidence rate of 138.1 per 100,000 population and an age-standardized case fatality rate of 30 per 100,000 population.

Health Conditions A-Z

health

stroke

hypertension

icmr

blood pressure

stroke patterns

international journal of stroke

indian council of medical research

stroke risk

Ischemic Stroke

aging

The Common Colon Cancer Sign You Need To Look Out For

12.4 Lakh HIV Tests In Haryana Detect 5,877 Cases

Health News

8 Sit-Up Variations to Strengthen Your Core and Build Stability

Benefits Of Ayurvedic Health Supplement Ashwagandha

9 Anti-Inflammatory Breakfast Options You Should Try

5 Foods You Should Avoid For PCOS, Says Gynecologist

Love Sitting With Your Legs Crossed? Here’s You Should Avoid It

6 Daily Foods That Are Secretly Increasing Your Calories

9 Brain Boosters You Should Do Everyday

Hip Exercises That Will Keep You Flexible As You Age

9 Leg Exercises Office Workers’ Should Do At Home

Benefits of Having Herbal Tea Every Morning

9 Daily Habits That Boost Your Brain Power

Lower-Body Exercises That Are Game-Changers

How Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar Helps You

Aging Myths You Should Never Believe

Superfoods That Support Your Gut Health

What Happens To Your Body When You Eat Instant Noodles Every Day?

Health Issues Premature Babies Often Face

Exercises Office Workers Should Do For Their Heart Health

Reasons Why You Should Add Raw Turmeric To Your Diet

Benefits Of Drinking Milk At Night: Why You Should Do It

Food That Provides Vitamin B12 Naturally In Your Diet

Surprising Health Benefits Of Fenugreek Seeds

9 Superfoods You Should Eat For Your Brain Health

What Does Mental Health Support Look Like At Work?

Long Stretches You Should Do To Unwind From Your Day

Colon Cancer In Young Adults: Early Symptoms You Should Know

Health Benefits Of Eating Dry Fruits Everyday

Are You At Risk For Fried Rice Syndrome?

These Tests Reveal How Well You Are Aging

Lower-Back Exercises You Should Do After A Long-Day's Work

Children’s Diet – What Kids Need To Eat For Immunity Building

Common Diabetes Myths That Could Hurt Your Health

Love Spicy Food? Here’s How It Affects Your Health

Superfood List: Veggies And Fruits You Must Have For Immunity

Foods People With IBS Should Avoid

Exercises To Improve Digestion

Easy Work Lunches You Can Make In The Morning

Hunger Vs Craving: Difference Explained In 60 seconds

These Things Can Cause Your Heart To Age Faster

High Carb Foods That Are Actually Healthy

One in seven stroke patients in India are young adults aged below 45 years, with hypertension leading as the major risk factor, according to a study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).  The study, published in the International Journal of Stroke, showed that two in five patients arrived in the hospital after 24 hours of onset of symptoms, highlighting the need for improving awareness about the first hour (golden hour) in stroke care.  “The findings highlight the gaps in acute stroke care, including delayed hospital arrival, limited access to advanced treatments, and inadequate follow-up services,” said Prashant Mathur, Director, ICMR—National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research, Bengaluru, in the paper.  “Stroke continues to pose a major public health burden, with poor outcomes. The study shall contribute to the development of evidence-based comprehensive strategies for stroke prevention, effective management, and improved treatment outcomes,” he added.  What Stroke Patterns Did The Study Find?  The team included 34,792 stroke cases from 30 Hospital-Based Stroke Registries (HBSRs) across India, recorded between 2020 and 2022. About 64 percent of the stroke patients were males, and 36.6 percent were females.  Stroke in the younger age group (aged below 45 years) constituted 13.8 percent of the total cases. More than 70 per cent of the participants were residents from rural areas.  Hypertension (74.5 percent) was the most common risk factor, followed by smokeless tobacco use (28.5 percent) and diabetes mellitus (27.3 percent).  Ischemic stroke accounted for 60 percent of cases. Only 20.1 percent were presented within 4.5 hours of symptom onset, while 37.8 percent of cases presented after 24 hours.  The commonest symptoms at onset included motor impairment (74.8 percent), followed by speech disturbance (51.2 percent), dysphagia (30.4 percent), and impaired consciousness (25.6 percent).  The study also highlighted substantial disparities in stroke care services. Time-sensitive therapies like thrombolysis were given in 4.6 percent of cases, while thrombectomy was administered in 0.7 percent of ischemic strokes.  At three months, 27.8 percent of patients had died, while nearly 30 percent suffered significant disability, and 1.1 percent had a recurrent stroke. This highlighted the need for improving comprehensive stroke care across India.  Burden Of Stroke In India Stroke remains one of the leading global health burdens, causing significant deaths and disability worldwide, including in India. Compared to Western countries, stroke also tends to occur at a younger age and is associated with a higher case fatality rate in the country.  The Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 identified hypertension, air pollution, tobacco smoking, high cholesterol, increased salt intake, and diabetes as the leading risk factors of stroke.  Incidence of stroke is increasing significantly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), especially in India, due to population growth, aging, and greater exposure to risk factors.  The estimated stroke incidence in India ranged from 108 to 172 per 100,000 population, and 1-month case fatality varied from 18 percent to 42 percent.  As per data from the ICMR-NCDIR, India has a crude stroke incidence rate of 138.1 per 100,000 population and an age-standardized case fatality rate of 30 per 100,000 population.