Walsh & Hoyt: Hemorrhagic Cerebrovascular Disease

Intracerebral hemorrhage is bleeding into the parenchyma of the brain that may extend into the ventricles and, occasionally, into the subarachnoid space. Each year, approximately 37,000 to 52,400 people in the United States have an intracerebral hemorrhage. This rate is expected to double during the next 50 years as a result of the increasing age of the population and changes in racial demographics. Intracerebral hemorrhage accounts for 10% to 15% of all cases of stroke and is associated with the highest mortality rate, with only 38% of affected patients surviving the first year. Although clinical symptoms and signs can help differentiate ischemic from hemorrhagic stroke, ischemic strokes can have secondary hemorrhage, and the diagnosis of cerebral hemorrhage is made by imaging.