Register for cerebrovascular events in the Area Latina, Italy. Clinical and epidemiological data during three years of surveillance.

Data are presented on the cerebrovascular events collected by a surveillance system during 1983-1985 in the MONICA Project-Area Latina, on a target population of about 400,000 subjects aged 25-74. The cerebrovascular events observed in 3 years were 2245: the fatalities (within 28 days from the onset of symptoms) numbered 1016 (562 males and 454 females), and the non fatal cases 1229 (742 males and 482 females). The attack rates per 10,000 per year were 21.96 for males and 15.20 for females. By definition, all the non fatal cases received some kind of treatment in hospital or nursing home. Among the fatal cases 68% received a treatment in a hospital or nursing home, while 32% died without medical attention. The fatality rate within 28 days was 43% for males and 48% for females.