Cerebrovascular disease in women.

Stroke represents a severe and growing health problem in the general population. The increasing burden of disease associated with stroke appears to be largely related to progressive ageing of the population, and in fact is increasing more rapidly in women than in men. In addition, emerging pathophysiological, clinical and therapeutic issues confer specific characteristics to stroke in women.

Genetic susceptibility to cerebrovascular accidents.

Cerebrovascular accidents are the third leading cause of death after myocardial infarction and cancer in all Western societies. A more complete understanding of the pathogenetic determinants of stroke is required in order to achieve a better prevention and treatment of this common disease. Recently, based on convincing epidemiological and experimental evidence, the concept of stroke as a complex, multifactorial, polygenic disease has been well assessed.