Understanding Stroke in a Global Context

Stroke is one of the most debilitating diseases. Increasing exposure to behavioural risk factors (tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and harmful use of alcohol) and air pollution are driving up the worldwide stroke burden. Although interventions to prevent and manage stroke have advanced considerably over the last two decades, they are not implemented worldwide. The purpose of this book is to address this serious disconnect between medical advances and their implementation at the country level. The book aims to improve the understanding of stroke and its links to the Sustainable Development Goals. The target audience includes decision-makers, policy-makers, lay people, journalists, public health practitioners, under-graduate and post-graduate students, and early career-level health professionals working in the fields of stroke, NCDs and development. All of them and others, have a role to play in prevention and control of stroke. A broader understanding of stroke by a wider audience can help to place stroke on the global development and health agenda and to strengthen country capacity to address stroke through a public health approach. The eight chapters address key questions on various aspects of stroke: causes, symptoms, signs and consequences; challenges of stroke prevention; magnitude of the stroke burden; medical and surgical interventions for managing stroke including stroke units, the links between stroke and the Sustainable Development Goals and data on the staggering economic burden of stroke. The content has been simplified, to the extent possible, to provide a better insight and understanding of stroke, particularly to a non-expert audience. It is, therefore, a "must read" for all those interested in stroke and global health. [Edited by Taimur]=======================OK Stroke is one of the most debilitating diseases which poses a significant economic burden on society. Increasing exposure to behavioural risk factors for stroke (tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and excessive alcohol consumption) and air pollution are driving up the worldwide stroke burden. Although medical interventions to prevent and manage stroke have advanced considerably over the last two decades, they are not consistently implemented worldwide. Therefore, health outcomes of stroke treatment vary throughout the world. Understanding Stroke in a Global Context addresses this serious disconnect between advances in stroke interventions and their implementation at the national level. The book aims to improve the reader's understanding of stroke and its links to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Eight chapters present information about various aspects of stroke: causes, symptoms, signs and consequences, the challenges of stroke prevention, the magnitude of the stroke burden, medical and surgical interventions for managing stroke including stroke units, the links between stroke and the SDGs and, finally, the social and economic costs of stroke. Key features of this volume include: - coverage of stroke information from multidisciplinary angles - simple reader friendly format for a broad audience - information about UN SDGs relevant to stroke healthcare - data on socioeconomic burden of stroke This volume is a concise handbook for healthcare policy makers, lay people, journalists, public health practitioners, under-graduate and post-graduate students, and early career level health professionals working in the fields of stroke medicine, non-communicable disease programs and healthcare development at local and national levels.