The investigators used the NCHS mortality data tapes for 1968-1976 to examine age-type-specific stroke mortality trends by race, sex, and hypertension status. There are many problems inherent in arriving at conclusions in a study based on death certificates, but the study explores the shortcomings of the data to arrive at implications. A general decline in stroke death rates was observed with the largest declines being observed for hemorrhagic strokes and for nonwhites. An examination of the data by hypertension status indicates the need for clinical studies which will examine the relationship between hypertension and stroke mortality.