Even amongst smokers (who are more typically associated with respiratory diseases), stroke is a massive health threat. Smoking raises triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood) levels and destroys cells that line the blood vessels. In the U.S., this disease is most common in the Southwest, and the exact reason remains obscure. This area is known as the “Stroke Belt,” the part of the country with the well-defined but mysteriously high incidence of cardiovascular disorders.
More than a hundred thousand Americans die each year due to stroke and thousands more incur long-term disability for the same disease. It is estimated that at least $34 billion is spent annually for treatments related to this cardiovascular disorder. Below are the top states with the highest prevalence of stroke according to a survey taken from 2002 to 2007:
Image source: cdc.gov
1.Mississippi (4.3 percent)
2.Oklahoma and Washington, D.C. (3.4 percent)
3.Louisiana (3.3 percent)
4.Alabama and Nevada (3.2 percent)
5.Kentucky, Missouri, and Tennessee (3.1 percent)
6.Arkansas, Illinois, Michigan, Texas, and West Virginia (3 percent)
7.Georgia and South Carolina (2.9 percent)
8.Florida, Hawaii, and North Carolina (2.8 percent)
9.Virginia (2.7 percent)
10.California, Iowa, New Hampshire, South Dakota, and Utah (2.6 percent)
11.Alaska, Indiana, and Oregon (2.5 percent)
12.Idaho, Maine, New York, and Washington (2.4 percent)
Image source: bbc.com
Dr. Lisa Marie Cannon is a board-certified physician with more than 15 years of experience in critical care, internal medicine, and pulmonary medicine. For more health-related discussions, click here.
Dr. Lisa Marie Cannon 