Cerebrovascular disease is a broad term for conditions that affect the blood vessels in the brain. Common cerebrovascular diseases include stroke, brain aneurysms, bleeding in the brain, and carotid artery disease. A stroke, the most common type of cerebrovascular disease, happens when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. This stops brain cells from getting oxygen and nutrients, which can cause long-term damage. The two main types of strokes are ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke. People who have diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol are at higher risk for cerebrovascular disease.
- In 2018, Black/African American adults were 43% more likely to have a stroke than U.S. adults overall.
- In 2022, Black/African Americans were 45% more likely to die from cerebrovascular diseases than the overall U.S. population.
- In 2022, Black/African American men had the highest death rates from cerebrovascular diseases compared with men and women in all other racial and ethnic groups.
Occurence
| Stroke among persons ages 18 and over, age-adjusted percentage, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Black/African American* | Total Population | Ratio (Black/African American* / Total) |
| 4.0 | 2.8 | 1.43 |
Mortality
| Death due to cerebrovascular diseases, age-adjusted rate per 100,000 population, 2022 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Black* | Total Population | Ratio (Black* / Total) | |
| Male | 63.5 | 40.5 | 1.57 |
| Female | 52.2 | 38.2 | 1.37 |
| Both Sexes | 57.2 | 39.5 | 1.45 |
*Population is non-Hispanic in the data source.
Date Last Reviewed: January 2026