Global Stroke Burden Continues to Rise: WSO Releases 2025 Fact Sheet

The World Stroke Organization (WSO) has released its Global Stroke Fact Sheet 2025, revealing a dramatic and continuing rise in the global burden of stroke. According to the report, stroke remains the second leading cause of death and the third leading cause of death and disability combined worldwide, with more than 160 million disability‑adjusted life years (DALYs) lost each year. “The estimated global cost of stroke is over US$890 billion,” the authors note, underscoring the immense economic impact of the disease.

Drawing on the latest Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 data, the Fact Sheet highlights steep increases in stroke incidence and mortality over the past three decades. Between 1990 and 2021, incident strokes rose by 70%, deaths by 44%, and prevalent cases by 86%. The majority of the burden—87% of deaths and 89% of DALYs—falls on low‑ and middle‑income countries.

The report also emphasizes that 84% of the global stroke burden is attributable to 23 modifiable risk factors, including high blood pressure, air pollution, excess body weight, smoking, and physical inactivity. While some risk factors such as smoking and dietary issues have improved, others—including high BMI, high ambient temperatures, and elevated fasting glucose—have worsened significantly. “Stroke attributable to metabolic risks constituted 69% of all strokes,” the authors write, highlighting the growing influence of lifestyle‑related factors.

WSO warns that without major improvements in prevention, acute care, and rehabilitation—especially in resource‑limited regions—the global stroke burden will continue to rise sharply. The organization calls for low‑cost surveillance systems, broader public awareness, digital prevention tools, and stronger health‑system capacity to manage acute stroke and long‑term disability.

The Fact Sheet concludes with a stark projection: by 2050, global stroke deaths are expected to increase by 50%, driven by aging populations, population growth, and widening health inequalities.

Author: SYNYO GmbH

References: WSO, World Stroke Organization: Global
Stroke Fact Sheet 2025, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/17474930241308142?utm_source=copilot.com (Accessed on 23.03.2026)