Analysis of the epidemiology of ischemic stroke in Ukraine based on the Global Burden of Disease Study-2021

Abstract

Introduction. The aim of the study was: to analyze the global burden of ischemic stroke in Ukraine in dynamics for 1991-2021 and in comparison, with European countries to determine the ways to reduce it. Materials and methods: Using medical-statistical and epidemiological methods, age-standardized DALYs, incidence rates, prevalence and mortality rates of the population due to ischemic strokes, as well as their risk factors, were analyzed. The analysis was performed based on the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 database in dynamics for 1991-2021 and in comparison, with European countries. Results Ischemic stroke is a significant public health problem in Ukraine. In 2021, it caused the loss of 1.1 million years of healthy life, or 2,681 thousand years per 100 thousand population (DALYs). 71.8% of these losses are due to premature mortality, and 28.2% – to disability. Over 30 years of observation, positive trends in reducing age-standardized incidence, prevalence, mortality and DALYs due to ischemic strokes have emerged in Ukraine, but Ukraine remains one of the European leaders in the global burden of ischemic strokes: in 2021, the population of Ukraine lost 2.0 times more years of healthy life due to ischemic strokes than residents of Europe and 3.3 times more than in the EU countries (per 100 thousand population). The burden of ischemic stroke in Ukraine can be reduced on 64.43% by normalization of systolic blood pressure, on 34.54% by lowering cholesterol levels, on 13.57% – by serum glucose, on 11.20% – by optimizing diet, and on 10.1% by normalizing body weight. In addition, men can prevent the loss of a third of healthy life years due to ischemic stroke by quitting smoking (by 21.04%) and alcohol abuse (by 11.79%). Conclusions Ukraine, along with increasing the availability and quality of medical and rehabilitation care for patients with ischemic strokes, should strengthen the capacity of the public health system and improve primary prevention of non-communicable diseases, which is an effective method for reducing the burden of disease.