engleski

Risk Factors in Stroke Patients Treated at Intensive Care Units

Today stroke is the third leading cause of mortalitiy in developed countries. During 1998, aproximately 400 stroke patients were hospitalized at the Intensive Care Unit, University Department of Neurology, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital in Zagreb, covering region of center and western parts of Zagreb (urban) and its surroundings (mostly rural)- population of more than 200000 inhabitants. Data on risk factors in stroke patients, obtained ftom Department records were analysed, for all stroke patients and stroke subtypes (82% ishaemic stroke, 13% haemorrhagic stroke and 5% subarachnoidal haemorrhage). The most common risk factors were age, arterial hypertension (64%), heart disease (54%) with atrial fibrillation (20%), diabetes (24%), extracranial carotid significant stenosis (13%), hyperlipoproteinaemia (7%) and alcoholism. For stroke subtypes most common risk factor for ishaemic stroke were heart disease (59%) with atrial fibrillation (23%) and arterial hypertension (68%), for haemorrhagic stroke arterial hypertension (81%) and diabetes (25%). Many stroke patients had a combination of multiple risk factors, which increased the risk of stroke. Lifestyle modifications and medical treatment for risk factors could significantly reduce the incidence of stroke and open new horizons in stroke prevention.

stroke; intensive care; risk factors

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