engleski

THE MOST COMMON RISK FACTORS AND SEX DIFFERENCES IN YOUNG ADULTS WITH ISCHEMIC STROKE

BACKGROUND: Stroke takes the leading position in morbidity and mortality in Croatia and presents a considerable public-healthy problem. We evaluated sex differences in the most common risk factors in young adults. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data of patients between the age of 19 to 45, who were admitted to the University Department of Neurology, University Hospital « Sestre milosrdnice» , in the period between 1.1.2002. and 31.12.2006. RESULTS: 3193 patients with acute stroke were admitted, 93 (2, 88%) were younger than 45. Ischemic stroke was diagnosed in 51 patients (55, 43%), 30 male (58, 82%) and 21 female (41, 18%). The most common risk factors in men were hypertension (13 ; 43, 33%), smoking (14 ; 46, 66%), hyperlipidemia (11 ; 36, 66%), alcohol abuse (7 ; 23, 33%), heart diseases including cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia and valvular abnormalities (6 ; 20%), haematologic abnormalities (2 ; 6, 66%) and diabetes (1 ; 3, 33%). In women the most frequent risk factors were hyperlipidemia (9 ; 42, 85%), hypertension (6 ; 28, 57%), heart diseases and oral contraceptives (4 ; 19, 04%), smoking (3 ; 14, 28%), illegal drugs (2, 9, 52%) and alcohol abuse (1 ; 4, 76%). CONCLUSION: Risk factors for ischemic stroke in young adults have similar distribution as in older patients, except diabetes and heart disease, in both men and women. Hypertension, alcohol and smoking are more frequent in men, while hyperlipidemia and heart diseases are equally present. Considerable cause in women are oral contraceptives. In a great number of patients we did not find any of the most common risk factors, so we have to look for less frequent causes as immunologic and haematologic disorders, and include such tests in the diagnostic algorithm

Stroke; risk factors

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