THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY HISTORY IN CEREBROVASCULAR-DISEASE

Background and Purpose The role of genetics in cerebrovascular disease remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to assess the in fluence of family history on atherothrombotic infarction or transient ischemic attack. Methods Ninety patients with stroke or transient isch emic attack and 90 age- and sex-matched community control subjects wer e studied prospectively. Medical and family histories were obtained fr om all subjects, and a complete physical examination was performed. Re sults Eighty-five patients and 86 control subjects knew their family h istory for ischemic heart disease and stroke. A positive history for i schemic heart disease was present in 62 (73%) of the patients and 46 ( 53%) of the control subjects (P=.019), and a positive family history f or stroke was present in 38 (47%) of the patients and 21 (24%) of the control subjects (P=.014). Conclusions Although a positive vascular fa mily history was not an independent risk factor in a multivariate anal ysis, it was an excellent marker of the presence of other established vascular risk factors. Personal histories of ischemic heart disease, h ypertension, and hyperlipidemia were found to be significant independe nt risk factors for stroke.