Cerebrovascular Diseases and Associated Risk Factors in WHO Eastern Mediterranean Countries.
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Date
2014-01
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Abstract
Background: In the WHO Eastern Mediterranean region, nearly one million deaths are
caused by cardio-vascular diseases every year. During the last decade, the number of
deaths caused by stroke increased by 23%. Most cardiovascular diseases can be
prevented by addressing behavioural risk factors such as tobacco use, alcohol, unhealthy
diet, physical inactivity, and metabolic risk factors like obesity, high blood pressure,
diabetes and raised lipids.
Methods: This is a systematic review on cerebrovascular diseases and associated risk
factors in WHO Eastern Mediterranean countries. Medline, Science Direct, and other
sources were used to get peer reviewed papers dealing with the review theme. The
search was limited to publications between 1990 and 2013 (30th June).
Results and Discussion: According to the inclusion criteria, 45 papers were included in
the present review. The prevalence was found greater than 50% in 38 studies for
hypertension, greater than 25% in 36 studies for diabetes, greater than 15% in 26 studies
for smoking and greater than 25% in 19 studies for dyslipidemia. It was also indicated that incidence of stroke increases with ageing. The majority of studies found a prevalence of
stroke higher in men than in women with a ratio male: female reaching 3.55:1 in one
study.
Conclusion: Although at different levels of importance, all the studies reveal that
hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and smoking are crucial risk factors for stroke. This
review also indicates a lack or scarcity of studies in many countries with an uneven
contribution by country since 33% of studies are from Pakistan whereas North Africa
(Egypt, Morocco, Libya, Tunisia) contributed with only 2 papers.
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Keywords
Stroke, risk factor, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, dyslipidemia, Eastern, Mediterranean
Citation
Boutayeb A, Derouich M, Boutayeb W, Lamlili M E N. Cerebrovascular Diseases and Associated Risk Factors in WHO Eastern Mediterranean Countries. Cardiology and Angiology An International Journal. 2014 Jan-Mar; 2(1): 62-75.