Vietnam is among the countries with the highest stroke rate, with an estimate of one among three people suffering the health problem, foreign experts have warned.

The information was released at a symposium held in Hanoi on Thursday as the last event of the series of Science for Life symposia within the framework of the 2024 VinFuture Sci-Tech Week.

At the event, experts reviewed and discussed new solutions for the treatment of cardiovascular disease and stroke, the two leading causes of death in the world today.

Prof. Valery Feigin, from Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand, stressed the rate of stroke and sequelae due to the disease has increased over the past decade.

More people are disabled or die from stroke, which has become the second leading cause of death and the third leading cause of disability in the world, the expert said.

“Stroke affects 53 percent of people under 70 years old, and it is increasingly seen in younger patients. On average, one in four people in the world is at risk of stroke, while the rate in Vietnam may be higher, at one-third,” he said.

Vietnam reports more than 200,000 new stroke cases each year, one of the leading causes of death, causing a large economic burden because of expensive treatment costs, he added.

Prof. Alta Schutte, of the University of New South Wales in Australia, underlined that controlling blood pressure is the root factor in preventing stroke. 

However, just 23 percent of women and 18 percent of men worldwide have their blood pressure under effective control, the professor warned. Meanwhile, alarmingly high rates of uncontrolled hypertension are being reported in low- and middle-income countries, including Vietnam.

She pinpointed that delays in treatment or non-compliance with treatment regimens are major challenges. 

For every two people with cardiovascular disease, one does not comply with treatment, making it difficult to control the disease, she stated. 

In addition, there are risks from the treatment process: inaccurate blood pressure measurement procedures, complicated treatment regimens, and failure to put high blood pressure under control, among others.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Quang, deputy director of the National Heart Institute at Bach Mai Hospital, warned that factors such as air pollution, high smoking rates, and unhealthy diets are the main contributors to high stroke rates in Vietnam.

Prof. Feigin shared a similar perspective, noting that the burden of stroke in Vietnam, particularly among young people, is rising at an alarming rate.

The primary contributors include high blood pressure, unhealthy lifestyles -- especially smoking -- a lack of physical activity, poor dietary habits such as excessive alcohol consumption, and other risk factors.

Prof. Schutte added that scientists have recently developed new technologies to treat hypertension and prevent stroke.

Replacing 26 percent of sodium with potassium in cooking salt has proven effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, which in turn helps prevent strokes. This method is particularly beneficial to individuals over 60 with a history of stroke.

Prof. Feigin highlighted New Zealand's development of the Stroke Riskometer, a mobile app that enables users to assess their personal stroke risk.

The app evaluates factors such as blood pressure, lifestyle habits, and environmental conditions, helping users identify and address potential risks.

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