Stroke in developing countries: epidemiology, impact and policy implications

The burden of stroke and other non-communicable diseases has risen sharply in developing countries in recent years. This article provides a detailed review of this trend and its underlying causes, and discusses the social and economic effects of stroke and the scope for interventions to reduce incidence and mitigate impacts. It demonstrates that policy-makers have been slow to recognise the growing scale of the challenge, and argues for large-scale public health campaigns focused on primary and secondary prevention.