Trends in Mortality Due to Stroke in South America between 1990 and 2019

Stroke is the second leading cause of death and disability in Latin America; however, few epidemiological studies have been conducted in South America. An observational study was conducted to analyze trends in stroke mortality in South American (SA) countries. Age-standardized mortality rates and proportional mortality due to stroke in the populations of SA countries between 1990 and 2019 were assessed by extracting data from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study. Joinpoint regression models were employed to identify trends in the annual percentage change in mortality rates for each segment. Considering the data collected over the 30 years that were studied, the age-standardized stroke mortality trend decreased in Argentina (-1.6%), Uruguay (-0.6%), Brazil (-0.5%), Guyana (-0.5%), and Bolivia (-0.4%), while Venezuela (+1.6%) and Suriname (+1.0%) showed an increasing trend. The proportional stroke mortality trend decreased in Argentina (-1.7%), Paraguay (-0.9%), Uruguay (-0.7%), Guyana (-0.7%), Brazil (-0.5%), and Chile (-0.5%), whereas Bolivia (+1.0%), Suriname (+0.6%), and Peru (+0.4%) exhibited an increasing trend. The trends in stroke mortality between 1990 and 2019 demonstrated considerable variability. While most SA countries experienced significant decreases in stroke mortality trends, Venezuela and Suriname showed increases in age-standardized mortality rates, and Bolivia, Suriname, and Peru exhibited increases in proportional mortality rates. No decreasing stroke mortality trend was observed in the segment after the last joinpoint, highlighting the need for improvement in prevention and treatment.