Strokes

Abstract

Cerebrovascular disease is a major cause of mortality and morbidity throughout the world and is exceeded only by ischaemic heart disease and cancer as a cause of death in developed countries. It is not so much the immediate mortality, but the continued survival of patients with strokes that will concern the family physician to a greater degree. An acute stroke is a catastrophe for both the patient and his relatives and survival from the stroke may present a major burden on medical resources. Family physicians should be familiar with the management of cerebrovascular disease because a positive approach will yield great benefit to the patient.