Objective: A descriptive study of the morbidity due to cerebrovascular disease in Spain.
Methods: A review of the studies of the incidence and prevalence of cerebrovascular disease in Spain. A search of the literature available through the database MEDLINE.
Results: The annual incidence of stroke in Spain is approximately 150 per 100,000 inhabitants. The annual incidence of transient ischaemic accidents is 35-60 per 100,000 in community studies and nearly 300 per 100,000 in door-to-door studies. In the population aged over 65 years, the prevalence of stroke is 4%-8% and the prevalence of transient ischaemic accidents is 2%-3%.
Conclusion: The incidence and prevalence figures for cerebrovascular disease in Spain are high.