Cerebrovascular disease in patients with pituitary tumors.

Several studies have shown that patients with acromegaly have increased mortality rates for cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular disease (CVD). Similar associations have also been seen for patients with hypopituitarism or with non-functional pituitary adenomas. This review summarizes these data and discusses the relative importance of different risk factors for cardiovascular, especially CVD, mortality among patients with acromegaly or non-functional pituitary adenomas, and for those with hypopituitarism as a result of other causes.