Statistical Publication Notice

(30 October 2007)

Stroke statistics update

INTRODUCTION

Stroke, properly known as Cerebrovascular Disease (CVD), is one of the main causes of death in Scotland. The Scottish Government is committed to the target of reducing the death rate in the under 75s from CVD by 50% from 1995 to 2010.

This release includes :

• incidence and mortality data for year ending 31 December 2006 and trends since year ending 31 December 1997
• an annual update of figures on the number of carotid endarterectomy operations and rates up to year ending 31 March 2007
• an annual update on GP prescribing of cardiovascular related drugs with trends from year ending 31 December 1997 to year ending December 2006
• an annual update on hospital activity from year ending 31 March 1998 to year ending March 2007

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KEY POINTS

• The under 75 death rate from CVD (standardised by age) fell by 2.9%(from 20.6 deaths per 100,000 population for year ending 31 December 2005 to 20.0 deaths per 100,000 population for year ending 31 December 2006).  If this trend continues, the target of a 50% reduction from 1995 to 2010 would be met
• The long term decline in death rates for all ages from CVD in Scotland has continued with an overall fall (standardised by age and sex) of 7.0% (from 67.6 deaths per 100,000 population for year ending 31 December 2005 to 62.9 deaths per 100,000 population for year ending 31 December 2006)
• Between 1997 and 2006 the incidence rate for CVD (total number of people diagnosed with CVD per 100,000 population, standardised by age and sex) decreased by 29.5%. (from 235.6 cases per 100,000 population for 1997 to 166.0 cases per 100,000 population for 2006)
• The number of carotid endarterectomy operations performed rose slightly from 468 in year ending 31 March 2006 to 478 in year ending 31 March 2007
• From year ending 31 December 2005 to year ending 31 December 2006 the number of prescriptions dispensed for cardiovascular-related drugs (CHD and stroke) continued to rise although the overall cost fell.

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INTERPRETATION

Although the numbers of deaths from CVD is higher in women than men this is because: a) stroke mortality increases steeply with age and b) the female population has a larger proprtion of elderly people.

Data for year ending 31 March 2007 are provisional.

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GLOSSARY

Carotid Endarterectomy - an operation to either remove a blockage in the carotid artery in the neck , or to help keep the artery open by the insertion of a stent (a short stainless steel mesh tube)

CVD ? Cerebrovascular Disease.  Includes subarachnoid haemorrhage, stroke (non-traumatic intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral infarction) and transient ischaemic attacks (TIAs)

Stroke ? occurs when an area of the brain is deprived of its blood supply - usually because of a blockage or burst blood vessel. 'Stroke' is commonly used to describe all cerebrovascular diseases and includes non-traumatic intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral infarction

TIA - transient ischaemic attack

Cerebrovascular disease - class of diseases of the blood vessels in the brain, including strokes.

Cardiovascular disease includes diseases which affect the heart and the blood vessels, including coronary heart disease and stroke and other cerebrovascular diseases.

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MAIN CONTACTS:

GLOSSARY

Carotid Endarterectomy - an operation to either remove a blockage in the carotid artery in the neck , or to help keep the artery open by the insertion of a stent (a short stainless steel mesh tube)

CVD - Cerebrovascular Disease.   Includes subarachnoid haemorrhage, stroke (non-traumatic intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral infarction) and transient ischaemic attacks (TIAs)

Stroke - occurs when an area of the brain is deprived of its blood supply - usually because of a blockage or burst blood vessel. 'Stroke' is commonly used to describe all cerebrovascular diseases and includes non-traumatic intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral infarction

TIA - transient ischaemic attack

Cerebrovascular disease - class of diseases of the blood vessels in the brain, including strokes.

PRE-RELEASE ACCESS TO THIS PUBLICATION WAS GIVEN TO:

HISTORY OF THIS PUBLICATION:

Last Published:  October 2006
Next Due:  October 2008
Most data is included within a time series for the previous decade.