Prevalence and risk factors of stroke in North India

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Abstract

Title: Prevalence and risk factors of stroke in North India
Swati Sharma*, Dhananjay Gupta, Gagandeep Singh
Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) defines Stroke as "rapidly developing clinical signs of focal (or global) disturbance of cerebral function, lasting more than 24 hours or leading to death, with no apparent cause other than that of vascular origin." The burden of Stroke is ever-increasing in India, and it is the fourth leading cause of mortality and fifth leading cause of disability in the country. 
Methods: This prospective survey was done in the Stroke unit of the Department of Neurology in a leading medical college institute of North India. All stroke patients admitted between June 2023 and June 2025 were enrolled in the study. Data was collected in a structured questionnaire and analyzed using MS-EXCEL and SPSS software. 
Results: A total of 345 patients were included, and the average age of stroke patients in our cohort was (77.41%), which is significantly lower than the global average. More than 30% patients were younger than 65 years, and about 13% younger than 50 years. Gender distribution showed a male preponderance, with (70%) patients being male. The major risk factors reported were Hypertension (72.8%), Diabetes Mellitus (61.3%), Atrial fibrillation (56.8%), Smoking (18%), Alcohol (35.4%), and sedentary lifestyle (22%). The major stroke type was Ischemic stroke (82%). 

Conclusion: The increasing risk of stroke amongst the younger population, especially those with hypertension and diabetes, highlights the urgent need for targeted preventive strategies in high-risk groups. Public health interventions focusing on early detection, community awareness of stroke symptoms, and management of modifiable risk factors could significantly reduce stroke-related morbidity and mortality in the North West population.