ABSTRACT
Cerebrovascular disease (CVD) is an important cause of mortality worldwide and a major source of morbidity with an estimated cost in 1976 of 3.3 billion dollars in the US Because CVD is a common neurologic disorder, there are extensive studies and many reviews available. Perhaps this is one of the neurologic disorders in which epidemiology has made the greatest contribution. In addition to delineating the major risk factors for CVD, there is evidence to suggest that modifying these risk factors has helped produce a decline in mortality and morbidity due to the condition. The chapter reviews information about CVD which has been published since 1984 and discusses the contribution that such data have made to our overall understanding of the epidemiology of CVD. Prospective studies of stroke are more expensive and require long-term followup of an older population to ensure adequate numbers of cases.
