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6 Headlines T he majority of strokes can be described as a sudden interruption of blood flow to part of the brain. When the blood supply is stopped, the brain no longer receives vital oxygen and nutrients, and brain cells begin to rapidly die. When brain cells die, brain function is lost. This can affect a person's ability to walk, talk, eat or complete everyday tasks and actions they were able to do before stroke. In New Zealand, stroke is the leading cause of disability in adults and the second largest cause of death. However, with rehabilitation, many New Zealanders with stroke recover to lead happy and healthy lives. A common misconception is that stroke only affects an older demographic, however 25% to 30% of strokes occur in New Zealanders under the age of 65 and right from birth onwards. It is projected that over the next 10 years, the number of people who experience stroke will increase by 40%. Research is crucial to ensure that we can continue to improve the treatment and rehabilitation of stroke, improving outcomes for the large and growing number of New Zealanders and their families who are affected by this devastating illness. There are many risk factors for stroke, with high blood pressure being the most important modifiable factor. One in five strokes are preventable – but only if the recommended stroke prevention strategies are followed. Early detection and action taken when someone is experiencing stroke is crucial. During a stroke, around 2 million nerve cells in the brain die every minute. This highlights the importance of knowing the signs of stroke to help improve the outcomes of those in your community. We invited two leading stroke charitable organisations in New Zealand to contribute to this article: Stroke Central New Zealand and the Stroke Foundation of New Zealand. We believe working together is important to achieve the best possible outcomes for Kiwis, as we all have the common goal of striving to improve outcomes and support for those affected by stroke. A closer look at a condition: STROKE In each Headlines this year we are taking a closer look at a particular neurological condition impacting Kiwis. In this edition we look at stroke and the New Zealand-led research being undertaken on this condition. 9,500 STROKES PER YEAR 64,000 PEOPLE LIVING WITH THE AFTER EFFECTS OF STROKE (ESTIMATED TO BE 350K SURVIVORS AND WHĀNAU) $90 vs $1026 AMOUNT OF GOVERNMENT FUNDING RECEIVED PER STROKE SURVIVOR SEEN BY STROKE FOUNDATION VERSUS ACTUAL COST OF DELIVERING SERVICES 1YEAR Optimum timeframe to achieve best stroke recovery is in the first year (so we have to get these early interventions right) 4,500 STROKE SURVIVORS HELPED BY THE STROKE FOUNDATION EACH YEAR 3,800 Estimated additional strokes per year by 2028 (40% increase on 9,500 per annum) 1.5 to 3X AsmanymoreMāori experiencing stroke as compared to non-Māori 3 COUNTRIES that adopted the impactful and proven findings of the Take Charge After Stroke, the successful NZ-developed research programme (watchout: NZ is not one of them!) $1.1 BILLION Economic cost of stroke, per year