[Treatment of cerebrovascular accidents in an intensive care unit. 230 cases]

Over a 20 months' period, 230 patients were treated in an intensive care unit for acute cerebral vascular accident. There were 157 ischaemic accidents and 73 haemorrhages. The mean age of the patients was 61.7 years. Mechanical ventilation was used in a quarter of the cases, and tracheotomy was performed in 7%. Surgery was considered necessary in only less than 5%. The overall mortality in the unit was 20% for patients with established ischaemia and 44% for those with cerebral haemorrhage. After 6 months, 64% of patients with ischaemia and 44% of patients with haemorrhage were still alive; 82% were independent, usually without sequelae, and 6% were bed-ridden; 15% of those who had mechanical ventilation survived. Prognostic factors are analyzed and the role of intensive care units in the management of cerebral vascular accidents is discussed.