Despite decreasing age-standardized mortality rates, the absolute global burden of stroke is increasing, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Although age-standardised mortality rates for ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke have decreased in the past two decades, the absolute number of people who have these stroke types annually, and the number with related deaths and DALYs lost, is increasing, with most of the burden in low-income and middle-income countries. Further study is needed in these countries to identify which subgroups of the population are at greatest risk and who could be targeted for preventive efforts.
Krishnamurthi et al. (2013) studied this question.