title: The cause and prognosis of strokes in people under 50 years.
abstract: A study of 192 personal cases of completed stroke, reversible ischaemic neurological deficit (RIND) or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) in patients aged 10-49 years seen between 1961 ad 1979 inclusive is reported. Three died acutely; 189 were followed for up to 15 years. The main cause of the initial event was atheromatous or hypertensive vascular disease. Of the 90 patients whose initial event was a completed stroke 19(21%) developed a second stroke, whereas only 4 of the 78 patients with TIA suffered a stroke later. In the entire series there were 6 cardiac deaths and one from mesenteric thrombosis during the follow-up period. The risk of stroke following TIA is less in persons under 50 years than in the older age group. The risk of a second stroke following an initial stroke depends on whether or not there is evidence of vascular disease. In the absence of such evidence the risk is small; in the presence of evidence it is high, being of the order of 20%.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000150:complications; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000209:etiology; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D004691:Endarterectomy; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000209:etiology; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D008055:Lipids