Established and Emerging Risk Factors of Stroke in Asian Countries: A Systematic Review

Abstract

This paper aims to review the stroke situation regarding its risk factors in 16 Asian countries. From the stroke incidence in 2016 and 2019, it was found that the number of stroke cases per 100,000 people increased in 10 and decreased in 6 Asian countries. Low-middle income countries (LMICs) tend to have lower service and quality of healthcare compared to high-income countries (HICs), this significant difference in healthcare might be what causes the difference in stroke incidence. A systematic review was conducted for identifying and rating the frequency of stroke risk factors. Reviewing 15 selected papers, there are eight risk factors for stroke ranging from hypertension¹⁵, diabetes¹², hypercholesterolemia/dyslipidemia¹², smoking¹¹, physical inactivity⁷, obesity⁷, air quality² to family history¹. Age remains a significant risk factor for stroke, underscoring the importance of targeted preventive measures and healthcare interventions for older populations. China, as an example, has spread awareness and shown commitment to health issues and factors, adding institutions, and establishing a healthcare service for locations with more than 300,000. Studies have shown that women in LMICs are more likely to have a stroke at a young age compared to those in HICs, and could be influenced by cultural and social factors on women’s health. Therefore, individuals could decrease stroke risk through healthy lifestyle choices, preventing hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia/dyslipidemia. Lifestyle modifications including not smoking, maintaining a healthy diet, and exercising regularly should lower the risk of stroke occurrence in individuals. Simultaneously, national policies could lower stroke incidences by strengthening the stroke care ecosystem.