Medicinski vjesnik, Vol. 31 No. (1-4), 1999.
Professional paper
Epidemiological investigations of cerebrovascular diseases in Croatia
Boško Barac
Abstract
In his critical review the author presents the development of the modem concept of comprehensive care for patients with cerebrovascular diseases in Croatia. It was recognized here very early, that stroke may be successfully treated only in specially organized hospital units: already in 1971 the first Intensive Care Unit was organized for patients with stroke at the Neurology Department, University Hospital "Rebro" (Zagreb). The Zagreb Cerebrovascular Symposia (1971, 1974, 1979, 1985, 1990) were organized in order to improve scientific elaboration, education of neurologists and non-neurologists, and collaboration with primary care physicians, regarding new possibilities in prevention and rational management of cerebrovascular diseases and stroke. The result of those intensive activities was a large number of epidemiological investigations and papers published on various aspects of the diagnosis and management of cerebrovascular diseases as well as the neuroepidemiological studies on stroke. The most important of those studies were performed by neurologists, in co-operation with epidemiologists and public health professionals. Among others, the problems of risk factors, climatic and environmental factors, and their influences on stroke were studied. More recently, a number of important studies were published by Osijek neurologists related to the regional significance of risk factors, important for the more appropriate specific prevention. - The influence of war on the incidence of stroke during the Croatian Defense War in the city of Osijek was studied in several investigations. The inhabitants of the city under the siege showed a peculiar modification of the Stroke incidence. The hypothesis is put forward that stress mechanisms are responsible for the observed changes. The neuroepidemiological investigations of cerebrovascular diseases and stroke present an important contribution of Croatian neurology to the international neuroepidemiological research on stroke.
Keywords
Cerebrovascular diseases; Epidemiological investigations
Hrčak ID:
191978
URI
Publication date:
1.12.1999.
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