Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Bulgaria is among EU countries with highest mortality from brain stroke

Assoc. Prof. Rosen Kalpachki
Photo: Ani Petrova, BNR

There are four times as many people dying of brain stroke in Bulgaria compared to other EU countries, according to a 2021 report by the European Commission.

In 2023, 45,000 brain stroke patients were registered in Bulgaria, of which more than 5,500 died in hospital. This was said by Assoc. Prof. Rosen Kalpachki, head of the Brain Stroke Treatment Centre at St. Anna Hospital", during an expert meeting dedicated to cardiovascular diseases and stroke. 

There are 70 neurological units in Sofia, but not all of them have "intensive, resuscitation beds" to treat patients who have had a stroke, said Assoc. Prof. Kalpachki. 

In Bulgaria the death rate from stroke is 320 people per hundred thousand population, added Assoc. Prof. Kalpachki quoted by BTA. 

In 2023, 133 hospitals declared that they treated brain strokes, and 49 of them indicated that they did one thrombolysis (one of the stroke treatments) in the year. 

According to Assoc. Prof. Kalpachki, only three percent of stroke victims in Bulgaria are treated by thrombolysis.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Georg Georgiev

The state will increase funds for Bulgarians in North Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, Kosovo, Ukraine and Moldova

In 2025, 1.3 million euros are planned for the implementation of the program for support of organizations of Bulgarian communities from Albania, Serbia, Kosovo, Ukraine and Moldova and of citizens of North Macedonia with Bulgarian..

published on 7/2/25 9:01 AM

The chiefs of defence of Bulgaria, Romania and Turkiye are meeting in Sofia

Sofia is hosting a trilateral meeting of the defence forces heads of Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey. The Ministry of Defence announced that, at the invitation of Chief of Defence Admiral Emil Efimov, the heads of the Romanian and Turkish defence forces,..

published on 7/2/25 7:35 AM

INSAIT and MIT to work together on AI

The Institute for Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Technology (INSAIT) at Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" has launched a joint program with the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)..

published on 7/2/25 6:15 AM