Did you know . . . ?Mortality from stroke is declining in the UK at an

annual rate of 3.3% for both males and females.However, the rate of decline in stroke mortality isgreater in Germany (3% and 4%, respectively), France(4.5% and 5.4%), the US (6% and 5%) and Japan (7.1%and 7%).

The age-standardised mortality rate for stroke in theUK is lower than in Japan (52 vs 79/100 000,respectively) but higher than that in the US, France andGermany (34, 45 and 50/100 000, respectively).

On a positive note, recent trends in the UK incidenceof stroke suggest that incidence will continue to fall wellinto the next century. 1994 incidence rates of 2669/100000 for males and 1720/100 000 for females areexpected to decline to 2183 and 1403/100 000,respectively, by 2010.

Unlike the situation in most Western countries, strokeis more common in China and Japan than ischaemicheart disease. In these 2 countries, mortality from strokeis approximately 5- and 2-fold greater than fromischaemic heart disease, respectively.

One noticeable difference between these 2 countriesis that death from stroke is decreasing in Japan –between 1970 and 1985, mortality rates fell by 50%. Incontrast, mortality rates in China have increased rapidlysince the late 1950s.

Although stroke mortality rates are falling by anannual average of 7%, the rate in Japan (678/100 000 formales and 601/100 000 for females) is still higher thanthat for other Asia-Pacific nations; e.g. Australia (491and 589/100 000, respectively), New Zealand (548 and680/100 000) and Hong Kong (461 and 477/100 000).The respective figures for China are 1601 and 1266/100000. – Media releasesLarge potential cost savings with LMWHs. PharmacoEconomics & OutcomesNews 17: 15, 5 Nov 1994 800306293