Study points to high Asian stroke risk

By REBECCA WALSH

Asian people living in Auckland are more than twice as likely to have a particular type of stroke as their European counterparts, a study shows.

But it adds that overall stroke rates are declining for Asian and European people here and increasing for Maori and Pacific Islanders.

Researchers presenting the paper at the inaugural Asian Health and Wellbeing conference in Auckland yesterday suggested that new public health strategies are needed to meet the city's changing population.

A breakdown of figures for strokes show Asians (including Indian people) have more haemorrhagic strokes - caused by an artery within the brain bursting and bleeding - than European New Zealanders.

Among Asian people the proportion of these strokes was 25 per cent, compared with 10 per cent for the European group.

The findings reflect overseas research.

All new strokes in 2002-03 were recorded as part of the Auckland Regional Community Stroke Study and compared with figures for 1991-92 and 1981-82.

Kristie Carter, research fellow at Auckland University's clinical trials research unit, said Asians accounted for 1.5 per cent of strokes in 1981-82 and 10.7 per cent in 2002-03.

She said the increase could largely be attributed to growth in the city's Asian population. Over the two decades that population had grown from 10,620 to 125,667.

But factors such as high blood pressure and higher rates of obesity and diabetes probably contributed.

Unit director Professor Craig Anderson said Asians seemed to be more prone to high blood pressure. It was not known exactly why but possibilities included differences in genetic make-up and body structure.

For example, Asian people tended to be shorter and stored fat around their middle, compared with taller Europeans who stored fat more evenly round the body.

High blood pressure could have a varying impact on different body types, he said.

Another possibility was the combination of blood pressure with factors such as smoking and a salty diet.

Professor Anderson said Asian people should control their blood pressure through a healthy lifestyle.