Stroke now the number three killer in Malaysia

Star: Stroke has become Malaysia's number three killer after heart disease and cancer, with an average of 110 people dying of it every day, reported China Press.
Prof Dr Tan Chong Tin, senior consultant at the Neurology Clinic of the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre, said that according to the centre’s statistics on stroke in 1994, 59% of the patients were male and the patients' average age was 62.
He said the majority of the patients were Chinese, followed by 29% of Malays and 21% of Indians.
Dr Tan said 70% of stroke patients who recovered stopped taking part in social activities, 30% needed assistance in coping with daily life and 15% died within a month.
People from developing nations were at greater risk of suffering from stroke than those from developed nations like Japan who have better lifestyles and knowledge of health risks, he said, adding that the number of stroke patients was rising in developing nations.
Dr Tan said stroke could be prevented by adopting a healthy lifestyle and diet and being aware that the major causes of stroke were high blood pressure and diabetes.
He also said that it was medically proven that 70% of stroke cases were preventable.