Stroke has become the No 1 killer of Chinese, and stroke patients are getting younger, top health experts said recently.

The incidence rate of stoke increases 9 percent annually, which results in increasing mortality and disability among patients.

About 50 percent of stroke patients belong to the workforce and are younger than 65 years old, according to Wang Longde, an academic with the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

About 1.88 percent of China’s population suffered a stroke in 2011, up from 0.27 percent in 1986, Wang told the media earlier this year. Wang, who is also vice-director of a special committee on stroke treatment under the National Health and Family Planning Commission, revealed that stroke affects more people in rural areas than in urban regions, and more males than females.

Studies by the committee also showed people aged between 60 to 64 are most likely to have stroke, and in the next 20 years, the stroke-patient population would probably increase two to three times, Wang said.

The higher one’s education level is, the lower the risk of suffering a stroke. Also, smoking, hyperlipidemia (high lipid levels), hypertension and obesity are risk factors of stroke, which may explain why stroke strikes more in rural and more in males, according to Wang Yongjun, deputy president of Tiantan Hospital.

Wang says the public lacks awareness and knowledge about stroke, which hinders the prevention and control of the condition.

Some believe stroke only happens to old people, some think stroke can only strike once, and some think only people with high blood pressure are at risk — which are all wrong, he says, adding that many elderly people even think an intravenous infusion will prevent stroke.

Since 2006, the committee has conducted a series of surveys and studies related to stroke, and also provided training to doctors in rural areas.

Every year in late October and early December, it also initiates an event lasting a week to educate the public on how to prevent and control stroke.