First results from the MONICA stroke register in Heidelberg.

The Stroke Register was established in 1984 in Heidelberg, as a part of the MONICA Project, covering the same population (approximately 601,000) as the Acute Myocardial Infarction Register. In the present analysis, the data for men and women (aged 25-64) for 1985 and 1986 are presented. During the two years, 303 men and 143 women were registered. The overall age-standardized attack rate was 127.2/100,000 for men and 52.8/100,000 for women, and the age-standardized incidence was 97.4/100,000 in men and 42.9/100,000 in women. The proportion of first stroke was 76.5% in men and 81% in women. The 28-days mortality was 12% for men and 19% for women. Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking and heart disease (coronary heart disease, rhythm disturbances) were identified as risk factors for stroke. Among the registered victims of stroke, 61% of the men and 67% of the women had a history of hypertension. In men, a high prevalence of smokers, 54% was found (33.9% in the total population in the same age range). In women, the prevalence of smokers is nearly the same as in the total population. Diabetes mellitus was present in 23% of men and in 40% of women, and hyperlipidaemia in 30% of men and in 18% of women.