The incidence of stroke is on the rise in Taiwan, driven by unhealthy eating habits, the prevalence of cigarette smoking and high alcohol consumption. A new study presented at the ASEAN Federation of Cardiology Congress in September found the disease that affects the arteries leading to and within the brain is afflicting an increasing number of people in the country of 23 million.
According to the study, conducted over a 13 year period between 2001 and 2013, the incidence of ischaemic stroke in Taiwan increased from 110 to 122 per 100,000 person-years. Similarly, the incidence of of intracerebral hemorrhage increased from 30 to 38 per 100,000 person-years. Today, stroke is the third leading cause of death and the most common cause of complex disability in Taiwan, along with ischemic and hypertensive heart disease.