The treatment of hypertension and the decline of mortality from cerebrovascular accidents

Abstract

A possible cause-effect relation ship between the decline of mortality from cerebro-vascular accidents (CVA) and a better control of arterial hypertension is discussed. The international literature on the subject is critically reviewed in the light of the possible statistical artifacts for enumeration of CVAs, the incidence and fatality of the disease, the prevalence of other risk factors such as hypercholesterolemia, smoking, and the consumption of sodium, potassium and alcohol, and obesity, as well as the contribution of health care.