[On the problem of unexpected death resulting from a disease of the central nervous system]

The problem of unexpected death is challenging for many medical disciplines including forensic medicine. In 2011 the ratio of violent to non-violent deaths was 1:1.7. The structure of non-violent mortality changed due to the rise in the number of deaths from cerebrovascular diseases. International epidemiological studies demonstrated that stroke presently holds the second or third place in the structure of overall mortality in the world's population. The lethality rate attributable to hemorrhagic stroke is estimated at 79.5%. Of special interest for both forensic medical experts and general practitioners is the combination of cerebrovascular disease and the preceding craniocerebral injury. The discrepancy between clinical and pathologo-anatomical diagnoses amounts to 46.5%. According to the data collected by the Russian Centre of Forensic Medical Expertise in 2010, cerebrovascular pathology remained unrecognized in 62.4% of the cases and was erroneously diagnosed as a cerebrocranial injury in 52.2% of the patients. It is believed that forensic medical experts can render assistance to health facilities as regards the improvement of the quality of medical aid and preventive measures provided to the population by means of analysis of available information and the development of relevant recommendations.