Stroke is the commonest neurological disease in adults. It frequently results in serious morbidity and high mortality. It also has a significant impact on those who survive it and on their families, especially on their emotional wellbeing, personal social relationships and their ability to engage in gainful employment and to pursue leisure activities. The prognosis for survival and for functional recovery in stroke has improved in recent years thanks to the recent advances in the management of cerebrovascular disease. A vast amount of scientific data about all aspects of stroke has been...