Ishaq Khan, Junaid I Khan, Sheikh I Ahmed.
The epidemiology of stroke in a developing country (Pakistan).
Pak J Neurological Sci Jan ;13(3):30-44.

Ischemic stroke is a major cause of neurological morbidity and mortality. The objective of this review article is to summarize facts pertaining to acute ischemic stroke and its various aspects in a developing country like Pakistan, where resources are limited and the healthcare system is underdeveloped. No large-scale epidemiological studies are available to determine the true incidence of stroke in Pakistan. We conducted a study to determine the prevalence of several important stroke risk factors among Pakistani stroke patients, and to determine whether these risk factors differ among urban versus rural populations. We also used existing data from literature to compare overall stroke incidence in Pakistan to that in developed countries. In this study we found that for stroke besides hypertension, prolonged contraceptive use and pregnancy are additional risk factors in Pakistan. Which is more prevalent in urban populations than rural population? Developed countries except Germany have much lower stroke incidences than Pakistan.

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