Stroke is the 5th Leading Cause of Death in Virginia (2022).
How does VDH epidemiology define Cerebrovascular Disease and Stroke?
Cerebrovascular diseases are disorders in which an area of the brain is temporarily or permanently affected by a lack of blood flow or bleeding from one or more blood vessels in the brain. Stroke is a type of cerebrovascular disease.
Stroke includes two main categories:
- 1. Ischemic Strokes are blockages of blood vessels.
- 2. Hemorrhagic Strokes are due to ruptured blood vessels.
Learn more about stroke and how it affects people in Virginia in the Cerebrovascular Disease and Stroke Burden Report 2023.
Stroke death rates per 100,000 population have increased from 37.4 in 2017 to 41.2 in 2022.
The below graph displays trends in Age-Adjusted Death Rates from Cerebrovascular Disease in Virginia, 2017-2022. The disease specifications are defined by the following ICD-10 discharge codes: Cerebrovascular - I60-I69, Intracerebral Hemorrhage (ICH) - I60-I62, and Acute Ischemic Stroke (AIS) - I63-I69.
Data Source: Vital Event Statistics Program, Office of Information Management, Virginia Department of Health.
Table. Virginia Stroke Priority Localities by Mortality Age-Adjusted Rates per 100,000 Population Comparing 2014-2018 and 2016-2020 Aggregate Data.
| Region | Locality | Local Health Department | Stroke Mortality 2014-2018 | Stroke Mortality 2016-2020 |
| Central | Greensville County | Crater | 64.76 | 63.43 |
| Brunswick County | Southside | 59.44 | 59.53 | |
| Nottoway County | Piedmont | 59.13 | 53.97 | |
| Petersburg City | Crater | 58.65 | 65.10 | |
| Surry County | Crater | 57.96 | 39.08 | |
| Mecklenburg County | Southside | 56.97 | 60.28 | |
| Hopewell City | Crater | 49.93 | 44.49 | |
| Eastern | Franklin City | Western Tidewater | 93.2 | 96.93 |
| Portsmouth City | Portsmouth | 52.67 | 47.68 | |
| Lancaster County | Three Rivers | 52.66 | 58.78 | |
| Norfolk City | Norfolk | 50.01 | 53.09 | |
| Hampton City | Hampton | 47.33 | 42.89 | |
| Accomack County | Eastern Shore | 45.56 | 51.32 | |
| Mathews County | Three Rivers | 44.48 | 35.87 | |
| Northern | Manassas City | Prince William | 49.75 | 46.00 |
| Fairfax City | Fairfax | 41.11 | 49.95 | |
| Northwest | Highland County | Central Shenandoah | 60.66 | 37.51 |
| Lexington City | Central Shenandoah | 60 | 54.99 | |
| Buena Vista City | Central Shenandoah | 53.67 | 44.49 | |
| Harrisonburg City | Central Shenandoah | 48.99 | 47.57 | |
| Staunton City | Central Shenandoah | 48.17 | 41.44 | |
| Warren County | Lord Fairfax | 44.16 | 47.87 | |
| King William County | Rappahannock | 44.14 | 51.49 | |
| Caroline County | Rappahannock | 42.46 | 39.53 | |
| Southwest | Martinsville City | West Piedmont | 84.64 | 94.42 |
| Covington City | Alleghany | 74.77 | 64.23 | |
| Galax City | Mount Rogers | 70.09 | 82.64 | |
| Radford City | New River | 67.57 | 62.29 | |
| Lynchburg City | Central Virginia | 61.13 | 64.97 | |
| Appomattox County | Central Virginia | 59.56 | 58.82 | |
| Danville City | Pittsylvania-Danville | 54.72 | 52.85 | |
| Salem City | Alleghany | 51.26 | 51.97 | |
| Amherst County | Central Virginia | 50.55 | 47.20 |
Notes: The Counties and Cities (Localities) listed were identified as priority localities based on stroke mortality rates from 2014-2018 aggregate data by the Virginia Stroke Care Quality Improvement Advisory Group. Localities were categorized by Virginia Health Planning Region and then sorted by Age-Adjusted Mortality Rate per 100,000 population. The top quartile of each region was then selected to indicate priority localities. (Virginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Records).
Additional Stroke Data Resources
- Stroke Burden Report 2023
Progress report on the burden of stroke and stroke-related events in Virginia. (Updated December 2024) - VDH Office of EMS - EMS & Trauma Data
Visit VDH Office of EMS DATAWISE Team's page for EMS and trauma data. - Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
The BRFSS, the world’s largest telephone survey, tracks health risks in the United States. Information from the survey is used to improve the health of the American people. - Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics from the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association works with government agencies to derive our annual statistics for cardiovascular diseases, including coronary heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure. - Interactive Atlas of Heart Disease and Stroke
CDC’s Interactive Atlas of Heart Disease and Stroke is an online mapping tool that allows users to create and customize county-level maps of heart disease and stroke by race and ethnicity, gender, age group, and more.