The term cerebrovascular disease includes all disorders in which an area of the brain is temporarily or permanently affected by ischemia or bleeding and one or more of the cerebral blood vessels are involved in the pathological process.

The number of people affected by cerebrovascular disease every year could fill one of the nation's largest sports stadiums, the Rose Bowl, 10 times over. When celebrities are affected, this brings greater public awareness to this crucial health issue. In an effort to further raise this awareness, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is focusing on cerebrovascular disease during Neurosurgery Outreach Month, a health awareness month observed annually in August. Neurosurgeons treat cerebrovascular disease through microsurgery, stereotactic surgery, and endovascular techniques.