Prevalence of strokes

Each year more than 130 000 people in England and Wales have a stroke.

About 10,000 of these are under retirement age.

Stroke related deaths number 60,000 per year.

Stroke is the third most common cause of death in England and Wales, after heart disease and cancer.

Stroke is the largest single cause of severe disability in England and Wales with over 250 000 people being affected at any one time.

Most strokes occur in people over the age of 65, however strokes can occur at any age and even babies can be affected.

Recurrent stroke

Approximately 25% of people who recover from their first stroke will have another stroke within 5 years. The risk of having another stoke is greatest within 30 days of the first one. One third of recurrent strokes take place within 2 years of the first stroke. Recurrent strokes are a major contributor to stroke disability and death. The risk of severe functional restrictions or death increases with each stroke recurrence.