title: Multiple causes of death related to cerebrovascular diseases in the State of Parana, Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify associated causes and the number of causes on death certificates that reported cerebrovascular diseases as the underlying cause among residents of the State of Paraná, in Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mortality data in 2004 were obtained on the Datasus website. The population was selected by the TabWin program and multiple causes were processed by the Multiple Causes of Death Tabulator program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean number of causes listed on death certificates was 2.92 for women and 2.97 for men. Most people who died (74.8%) were aged 65 or older. Among the major causes associated with cerebrovascular disease deaths were respiratory diseases (37.9%), hypertensive diseases (37.5%), and symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory tests (32.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a relative improvement in the quality of mortality data regarding the number of causes registered. Hypertension as a major associated cause suggests the need for its control in the fight against mortality caused by cerebrovascular disease. Studies with multiple causes should be encouraged, taking into account all causes listed on death certificates, many of which are overlooked in mortality studies that only use the underlying cause of death.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Epidemiologia, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo. tatifurukawa@bol.com.br
authors.forename: Tatiane Sano
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Furukawa
authors.forename: Augusto Hasiak
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Santo
authors.forename: Thais Aidar de Feitas
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Mathias
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002423:Cause of Death; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged