Epidemiology of cerebrovascular disease in Tartu, Estonia, USSR, 1970 through 1973.

This study was undertaken to establish the incidence and mortality for various types of cerebrovascular disease in the population of Tartu. All medical records for this population were reviewed for the period 1970 through 1973, and those with a diagnosis of brain infarction, transient ischemic attacks, cerebral hemorrhage or subarachnoid hemorrhage were identified. Only the first stroke was considered when determining incidence. A total of 786 cases were included in the study. Without cases of transient ischemic attacks, the number was 667 (e.g., cases of stroke). Cerebral infarction accounted for 80% of all strokes, cerebral hemorrhage for 13.5% and subarachnoid hemorrhage for 6.5%. The incidence rate for stroke was higher for men than for women and significantly increased in each older age group. The rate for all persons was 184 per 100,000 population per year. The incidence of transient ischemic attacks was 33 per 100,000 population per year. The mortality rate for stroke for this population was 98/100,000 per year. The data on incidence of stroke and its type, its dependence on age and sex, and mortality rate are close to the corresponding data reported from other countries.