Clinical profiles of cerebrovascular disorders in a population-based patient sample.

Clinical features of different types of stroke were investigated in a sample of 409 patients representative of all cases admitted for acute stroke, except subarachnoidal hemorrhages, within a well defined population. A specific cerebrovascular diagnosis was obtained by detailed clinical investigation, including CT scan. In people greater than 50 years old, men/women risk for stroke was estimated to be 1.40:1. The risk was higher in men up to the age of 80; above this age similar risk for the two genders was observed. Eleven per cent had intracerebral hemorrhage, 13% TIA, 51% non-embolic and 25% embolic brain infarction. In all diagnostic categories there were similar proportions of patients who had a history of hypertension and previous stroke, neither did hemoglobin and hematocrit levels differ between the different stroke disorders. TIA preceded intracerebral hemorrhage in 11% and brain infarction in 15-20%. As opposed to patients with ischemic lesions, subjects with intracerebral hemorrhage had higher systolic blood pressure levels and more severe symptoms on admission to hospital. Ischemic stroke was associated with male predominance, different ischemic manifestations of heart diseases and diabetes.