Author Description

Doctors who work with stroke patients -- geriatricians, general physicians, rehabilitation specialists and neurologists -- need to understand the epidemiological basis of stroke diagnosis and treatment. Epidemiological methods are relevant to many clinical problems, such as diagnosis, the use and interpretation of CT scans, and the chances of a patient suffering a second stroke. The decision to offer a patient a particular form of treatment relies on an understanding of clinical trials, bias, and the balance between benefit and risk. Establishing the prognosis requires knowledge about the consequences of disease and the methods of measuring outcome. This book presents an epidemiological view of stroke and encourages the reader to critically appraise the causes, diagnosis and treatment of this common condition.