Stroke was defined in 1970 by the World Health Organization as "Rapidly acquired clinical
symptoms of focal (or global) impairment of brain function 24-48 hours or resulting in death,
with no evident cause other than a vascular origin." A stroke occurs when the cerebral
Epidemiology, Incidence and Prevalence Epidemiologic research on stroke aids in the knowledge
of the disease's natural history, the early diagnosis, and the prediction of prognosis, all
of which can lead to indicators for disease mechanisms. Women and men have differences
concerning stroke. As compared to men, women have an increased lifetime risk of stroke and
they have a higher prcentage of disability, dementia and depression. Stroke is a
non-communicable disease that is becoming more prevalent as the population ages. In many
nations, it is the prime cause of mortality and disability. America has seen a decrease in
stroke mortality in the last twenty years, but recent trends show that these decreases may
have leveled off. In 2013, there were around 25.7 million stroke survivors, 6.5 million
stroke fatalities, 113 million disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) lost due to stroke, and
up to 10.3 million incidences of new stroke. Stroke has become the biggest cause of
persistent impairment in the United States, as well as the second most leading cause of
dementia and the fourth most common cause of mortality. The is high morbidity associated with
stroke, with costs estimated at $34 billion annually for healthcare services, medications,
and missed workdays. In the United States, about 800,000 primary (first-time) or secondary
(recurrent) strokes happen annually, with primary strokes accounting for the majority
(roughly 600,000). Although the proportional burden of hemorrhagic vs ischemic stroke varies
among various populations, the majority of strokes (80% ) are ischemic . Stroke appears to
have an even greater global impact than it does in the United States.
Hemiparesis, hemisensory loss, impaired language, eye muscle weakness, and visual field cuts
are all symptoms of cerebral bleed and infarction, which cause sudden malfunctioning of
neurologic tissue. In contrast, cerebral hemorrhage causes blood to flow into the brain. This
causes squeezing of neighboring tissue and eventually increased intracranial pressure. As a
result due to this increased pressure and meningeal irritation, the patient presents with
severe headache, neck stiffness and vomiting and progressive deterioration due to continuous
bleeding.