OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence and the types of cerebrovascular diseases (CVDs) in autopsied elderly individuals. METHOD: Consecutive clinical charts and neuropathological reports of 242 patients aged 61 years or older were reviewed. The patients died in Hospital das Clínicas, Federal University of Minas Gerais, in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, from 1976 to 1997. RESULTS: The prevalent diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) found in decreasing order were: CVDs (71.9%), infections (12.4%), neoplasms (7.1%), head trauma (3.7%), nutritional diseases (2.5%) and degenerative diseases (1.7%). The most common CVDs were cerebral atherosclerosis (61.2%), hypertensive cerebrovascular disease (25.6%) and cerebral infarct (14.9%). There was an increase in prevalence and severity of atherosclerosis and an increase in prevalence of hypertensive cerebrovascular disease with advancing age. A significant association between hypertensive cerebrovascular disease and atherosclerosis was found. The CVDs patients had clinical stroke and this was the direct cause of death in 42,7% and 17,3% of the cases, respectively. CONCLUSION: The CVDs were the most prevalent group of diseases of the CNS in elderly patients. Atherosclerosis and hypertensive cerebrovascular disease were the most common CVDs, and its prevalence increased with advancing age. Hypertensive cerebrovascular disease was significantly associated with atherosclerosis.
cerebrovascular disease; elderly; autopsy
