ABSTRACT
PART 1: INTRODUCTION Stroke exacts a great socioeconomic toll worldwide. It is the most common life-threatening neurological disease, the number one cause of adult disability, and the third leading cause of death in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. More than 780,000 people have a stroke annually in the United States alone, costing an estimated $65.5 billion in treatment and lost productivity (1,2). Intracranial atherosclerosis is a common cause of stroke, accounting for ∼8% to 10% (3) to up to 29% (4) of cases of all ischemic events, and is particularly prevalent in persons of Asian (Japanese, Chinese, Korean), African, and Hispanic descent. Type 1 diabetes mellitus, cigarette smoking, and hypertension are risk factors associated with intracranial atherosclerosis (4-6).
