Epidemiology of stroke in the Netherlands from 1972 to 1994: The end of the decline in stroke mortality

In 1994, stroke was responsible for the death of 4,994 men and 7,601 women in the Netherlands, corresponding to 7.5 % of all deaths in men and 11.4% in women. Age-adjusted stroke mortality declined by 39% for men and by 45% for women between 1972 and 1994. However, the decline in mortality levelled off after 1987. In contrast to mortality, age-adjusted discharge rates increased by 47% for men and by 28% for women during the study period. The decline in mortality was equally distributed over the age groups, while the increase in the number of hospital admissions was more pronounced in the older age groups. The analyses by diagnostic subgroups of stroke showed the importance of increasing diagnostic capabilities in the hospital setting. The use of diagnostic subgroups in national mortality data was of limited value, illustrated by the fact that 70% of all stroke deaths in 1994 belonged to the ill-defined type of stroke.