Table 3 Relative risk reductions for CVD deaths from previous studies for intervention scenarios

Thrombolysis Treatment

11 % (95 % CI: 5–16)

RRR for stroke death or dependency if applied within 4.5 h [48]

Aspirin Treatment

2,6 % (95 % CI: 0.4–4)

RRR for stroke death or dependency if treatment is 160–300 mg once daily, started within 48 h of onset [49]

Stroke Unit

6,1 % (95 % CI:0,0009–11)

RRR for stroke death or dependency [50]

Aspirin Treatment for secondary prevention

3 % (95 % CI: 6–19)

RRR for vascular events (stroke or IHD death) if treatment is at any dose above 30 mg daily [51]

Statin Treatment

12 % (95 % CI: (-1)–21)

RRR for recurrent stroke if LDL reduces by 1 mmol/L [52]

Warfarin Treatment for secondary prevention

61 % (95 % CI: 37–75)

RRR for recurrent stroke or systemic embolism among stroke patients with Transient Ischemic Attack or minor stroke due to atrial fibrillation when treated with anticougulation [53]

BP Control for secondary prevention

34 % (95 % CI: 21–44)

RRR for stroke based on BP reduction of 4–25 mmHG systolic or 3–13 Hg diastolic [54]

Smoking Cessation

48 % (95 % CI: 29–57)

RRR for stroke death or dependency [16]

BP Control for primary prevention

46 % (95 % CI: 35–55)

RRR based on BP reduction 5 mmHg. This reduces the risk of stroke by an estimated 34 % and ischemic heart disease by 21 % from any pre-treatment level [55]

HbA1C Control

7 % (95 % CI: 4–19)

RRR for stroke based on 0,9 % HbA1C reduction [56]

Warfarin Treatment for primary prevention

64 % (95 % CI: 49–74)

RRR for stroke based on a meta-analysis with twenty-nine trials, adjusted-dose warfarin reduced stroke by 64 % [57]

Salt Reduction

17 % (95 % CI:6–43)

RRR for stroke by 5gr change in daily salt intake [58]

Transfat Reduction

12 % (95 % CI:5.5–18.5)

RRR by replacing 1 % of energy from trans-fat with unsaturated fats for coronary heart disease [59] We assumed half effect for stroke

Saturated Fat Reduction

13 % (95 % CI: 1–6)

RRR by replacing 5 % of energy from saturated fat with Polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) for coronary heart disease [60] We assumed half effect for stroke

Fruit and Vegetables Intake

4 % (95 % CI:3–8)

RRR for stroke by change in 1 unit of fruit and vegetables [61]

Smoking Prevalence Reduction

1.9 % (95 % CI:1.5–2.3)

RRR by change in 1 % prevalence of smoking [62]