Reducing Sodium Intake to Prevent Stroke

STROKEAHA: January 21, 2014

The burden of stroke is enormous and increasing. According to the Global Burden of Disease Study, stroke is the second leading cause of mortality and the third leading cause of disability-adjusted life-years worldwide.¹ In the United States, stroke is the second leading cause of mortality and the seventh leading cause of disability-adjusted life-years.²Although standardized rates of stroke seem to be decreasing somewhat, the absolute number of strokes, both ischemic and hemorrhagic, have increased during the past 2 decades.³ Importantly, most strokes occur in low- and middle-income countries, which are poorly equipped to deal with the vast medical, economic, and societal consequences of strokes. Read More