World Stroke Organization (WSO): Global Stroke Fact Sheet 2025

Abstract

Among non-communicable disorders (NCDs), stroke remains the second-leading cause of death and the third-leading cause of death and disability combined (as expressed by disability-adjusted life-years lost - DALYs) in the world. The estimated global cost of stroke is over US$890 billion (0.66% of the global GDP). From 1990 to 2021, the burden (in terms of the absolute number of cases) increased substantially (70.0% increase in incident strokes, 44.0% deaths from stroke, 86.0% prevalent strokes, and 32% DALYs), with the bulk of the global stroke burden (87.0% of deaths and 89.0% of DALYs) residing in lower-income and lower-middle-income countries (LMIC). Stroke attributable to metabolic risks constituted 69·0% of all strokes, environmental risks constituted 37.0%, and behavioural risks constituted 35·0%. This World Stroke Organisation (WSO) Global Stroke Fact Sheet 2025 provides the most updated information that can be used to inform communication with all internal and external stakeholders; all statistics have been reviewed and approved for use by the WSO Executive Committee as well as leaders from the Global Burden of Disease research group.