Costs of stroke treatment may double by 2030

The costs associated with the treatment of strokes could double to $183 billion by 2030, according to a statement released by the American Heart Association earlier this week.

Caring for stroke victims is expensive because a stroke can result in a long-term disability, said Bruce Ovbiagele, MD, MSc, professor and chairman of the department of neurology at the Medical University of South Carolina, in the journal Stroke.

Among the reasons for this large increase in costs is the prediction that by 2030, nearly one in 25 U.S. adults will have a stroke. In addition, Americans who are now 45-64 years of age are expected to have a 5.1 percent increase in strokes.

“Strokes will absolutely strain the healthcare system. Ninety percent of stroke patients have residual disability and only 10 percent ever recover completely after a stroke,” Ovbiagele says.

Sandra Hoban

Sandra Hoban was on I Advance Senior Care / Long-Term Living’s editorial staff for 17 years. She is one of the country’s longest-serving senior care journalists. Before joining Long-Term Living, she was a member of the promotions department at Advanstar Communications. In addition to her editorial experience, Sandi has served past roles in print and broadcast advertising as a traffic and talent coordinator.