Trends of stroke subtypes mortality in Sao Paulo, Brazil (1996-2003).

The decline of stroke mortality rates has been described in Brazil; however, there is no data about stroke subtypes. We described the changes of stroke mortality rates in the city of Sao Paulo (1996-2003) emphasizing intracerebral hemorrhage and cerebral infarction. We categorized mortality data by gender and 10-year age-strata from 30 to 79 years-old. For men, an annual reduction of all types of stroke (-3.9%), and of stroke subtypes as intracerebral hemorrhage (-3.0%) and cerebral infarction was observed (-2.7%) as well as, a decline of ill-defined stroke (-7.4%). For women, a decline was observed for all types of stroke (-3.3%) and for ill-defined stroke (-12%). However, the switch of ill-defined cases to stroke subtype categories due to a better clinical diagnosis blurred a real decline of both cerebral infarction and intracerebral hemorrhagic stroke among women.