Transient ischemic attack and stroke in a community-based diabetic cohort.

The role of hypertension was evaluated as a factor in the increased frequency of cerebrovascular disease in a community-based diabetic cohort. Hypertension was found to account only in part for the increased frequency of transient ischemic attacks in the diabetic patient but appeared to account entirely for the increased frequency of stroke in these patients. Most transient ischemic attacks were found to arise from the carotid circulation. The ratio of ischemic cerebral infarction to hemorrhage was greater among diabetic patients than in the general population.