Clustering of strokes in association with meteorologic factors in the Negev Desert of Israel: 1981-1983.

Clinical observations of the apparent clustering of daily stroke admissions to a regional hospital in an arid climate prompted our investigation of possible meteorologic factors associated with stroke admissions. Daily hospitalization and meteorologic data were studied for 895 patients with stroke admitted to Soroka Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel, during 1981, 1982, and 1983. The average daily incidence of stroke was about twice as great on relatively warm days as on relatively cold ones. This increase may be explained by increases in thromboembolic mechanisms secondary to physiologic changes in response to heat. When heat waves are predicted, information on the added risk for stroke needs to be disseminated to both the population and to health care providers so preventive measures can be instituted. Special attention should be devoted to air conditioning and adequate consumption of liquids, and antiplatelet aggregation medication such as aspirin should be considered.