Stroke is the leading cause of disability and the second leading cause of death worldwide. The Global Stroke Factsheet, released last year, revealed that lifetime risk of developing a stroke has increased by 50% over the last 17 years and now 1 in 4 people is estimated to have a stroke in their lifetime.
The purpose of the World Stroke Day is to increase awareness and drive actions on stroke around the world. In addition, this day provides opportunities to advocate for actions by decision makers to improve prevention of stroke, increase access to emergency medical care and provide support for survivors and caregivers.
In Switzerland, every 30 minutes, a person suffers a stroke. That amounts up to 16,000 people affected each year. Many deaths or serious consequential damages can be avoided if more people are able to recognize the symptoms early on and modify their lifestyle habits. These include regulated blood pressure, regular heartbeat rhythm, smoking cessation, healthy diet and regular exercise. Therefore, the theme for World Stroke Day 2023 is “Be #Greater Than Stroke”. The idea is mobilize the global stroke community to raise awareness and drive action on stroke prevention.