Stroke Statistics

About Stroke

• Stroke is caused by the reduction of blood flow to the brain, either by an obstruction in a blood vessel (ischemic) or a weakened vessel that ruptures and bleeds into the surrounding brain tissue (hemorrhagic).
• Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and a major cause of severe, long-term disability.
• One in every three ischemic strokes occurs in 45–64 year olds.
• Every 45 seconds, someone in America has a stroke.  About every three minutes, someone dies from a stroke. 
• Stroke accounted for one of every 15 deaths in the United States in 2003—157,800 total.  About 50 percent of these deaths occurred outside of a hospital.
• About 700,000 Americans will have a stroke this year.  Approximately 500,000 are first strokes and 200,000 are recurrent strokes.
• Of all strokes, 88 percent are caused by an obstruction in a blood vessel (ischemic), 9 percent are caused by a ruptured blood vessel (intracerebral hemorrhage), and 3 percent are caused by massive bleeding (subarachnoid hemorrhage). 
• An estimated 8–12 percent of ischemic strokes and 37–38 percent hemorrhagic strokes result in death within 30 days.
• The length of time to recover from a stroke depends on its severity.  Of stroke survivors, 50–70 percent regain functional independence, but 15–30 percent are permanently disabled.  In addition, 20 percent of patients still require institutional care three months after suffering a stroke.
• As the population ages, stroke is becoming a more serious and costly problem for patients, the health system, and policy makers.

Stroke Risk Factors

• Traditional risk factors for stroke include: high blood pressure (140/90 mm Hg or higher), ethnicity, age, tobacco use, diabetes, obesity, arterial fibrillation and other heart diseases, and certain blood disorders.
• While elevated cholesterol levels have been strongly associated with heart disease, they have not been shown to be a predictor of stroke.

Stroke in Women & Minorities

• Each year about 46,000 more women than men have a stroke.  Because women live longer than men, more women than men die of stroke each year.  Women accounted for 61 percent of U.S. stroke deaths in 2003.
• Stroke is a key health issue for women.  One in six women will die from stroke, while one in 33 will die from breast cancer.
• African American women are more likely to suffer a stroke than a heart attack.
• Studies have shown that hormone replacement therapy (estrogen plus progestin) increases ischemic stroke risk by 44 percent in postmenopausal women who are otherwise healthy.
• While the 2003 overall death rate for stroke was 54.3 per 100,000 in the United States, African Americans have significantly increased risk.  The death rates were 51.9 for white males compared with 78.8 for black males, and 50.5 for white females compared with 69.1 for black females. 
• Blacks also have almost twice the risk of first-ever strokes compared with whites.  The age-adjusted stroke incidence rates (per 100,000) for first-ever strokes are 167 for white males, 138 for white females, 323 for black males, and 260 for black females.
• The age-adjusted incidence rates of first ischemic stroke (per 100,000) are 88 in whites, 149 in Hispanics, and 191 in blacks.

Costs of Stroke

• In 2006, the total estimated costs associated with stroke (both direct and indirect) are nearly $57.9 billon.
• A recent analysis published in the Journal of Neurology found that strokes will cost the United States more than $2.2 trillion from 2005 to 2050.  Direct and indirect costs include ambulance services, initial hospitalization, rehabilitation, nursing home costs, outpatient clinic visits, drugs, informal caregiving, and potential lost earnings.  The highest cost contributor to stroke is loss of earnings.
• The lifetime cost of ischemic stroke in the United States is estimated at more than $140,000.  This includes inpatient care, rehabilitation, and follow-up care.

About Lp-PLA2

• Lp-PLA2 is an enzyme that breaks down oxidized LDL particles in the artery wall, producing pro-inflammatory markers capable of triggering the atherogenic process.
• Numerous large epidemiological studies have shown that elevated levels of Lp-PLA2 increase the risk of stroke and coronary heart disease.
• Elevated Lp-PLA2 levels double an individual’s risk of stroke or coronary event, independent of other risk factors.
• Individuals with the highest levels of Lp-PLA2 and high blood pressure have a sixfold higher risk of suffering a stroke.
• Individuals identified as being at high risk for heart disease or stroke based on elevated Lp-PLA2 levels may benefit from more aggressive treatment programs, such as lifestyle modification or therapeutic intervention, including statins and daily aspirin.
• Currently, there are no marketed treatments that directly target Lp-PLA2; however, GlaxoSmithKline is developing small molecule inhibitors directly targeting Lp-PLA2 as potential anti-atherosclerotic treatments. 

The PLAC Test

• The PLAC test, marketed by diaDexus, Inc., is a simple blood test ordered by physicians that measures levels of Lp-PLA2, a novel risk factor for ischemic stroke and coronary heart disease.
• Used in conjunction with the clinical evaluation of traditional risk factors, the PLAC test identifies people at high risk for heart disease and stroke who may not be identified by traditional risk factors.
• The PLAC test is cleared for marketing by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration as an aid in predicting an individual’s risk for coronary heart disease and ischemic stroke associated with atherosclerosis.
• The PLAC test is available through clinical laboratories nationwide, including LabCorp, Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, Mayo Medical Laboratories, ARUP Laboratories, and Berkeley HeartLab.
• diaDexus is a privately held biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel, patent-protected diagnostic products with high clinical value.  For more information, visit www.diaDexus.com or www.plactest.com.

Note to editors: Stroke and heart disease statistics are from the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association, Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics–2006 Update.

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