ABSTRACT
Vascular diseases of the nervous system (‘strokes’ or cerebrovascular accidents) are common causes of admission to hospital due to the rapid onset of a focal disturbance of brain function of presumed vascular origin, and of more than 24h duration. The most common causes are cerebral infarction and spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage (Table 5.1). Although it may be difficult to make the correct diagnosis clinically, modern neuroimaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) do so with considerable accuracy. Much useful information
about the pathogenesis of cerebrovascular disease and its mortality and its morbidity have been gained from prospective epidemiological studies. In the United Kingdom, as in other westernized countries, cerebrovascular disease constitutes a major health problem accounting for some 10% of all deaths, and is surpassed only by heart disease and cancer. Approximately 30% of all strokes are fatal, approaching 50% after cerebral hemorrhage and an immediate mortality of less than 20% after cerebral infarction.
