Background
Stroke is usually end result of predisposing conditions that originated years before
the ictus. Identification of its modifiable risk factors can help in planning preventive
strategies.
Objective
To study the risk factors of stroke in adult patients.
Methods
A hospital based prospective cross sectional study was carried out in 160 stroke
patients admitted in Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara from November 2007-
October 2010. Diagnosis of stroke was confirmed by CT scan of brain. Patients were
then investigated for presence of conventional risk factors. The data was statistically
analysed using Epi-Info.
Results
The mean age of stroke patients was 65.98 years ± 10.69 with 126 (78.8%) of patients
belonging to age group ≥ 60 years. It afflicted higher percentage of males 104
(65%) than females 56 (35%). Analysis of stroke subtypes showed preponderance
of haemorrhagic stroke in 85 (53.1%) as against infarction in 75 (46.9%) of cases.
Other conventional modifiable risk factors were seen as follows: hypertension 98
(61.2 %), cigarette smoking 95 (59.4%), alcohol use 43 (26.9%), left ventricular
hypertrophy 44 (27.5%), atrial fibrillation 37(23%), elevated triglyceride 37(23%),
diabetes mellitus 15 (9.3%) and elevated total cholesterol 12 (7.5%). Multiple risk
factors (≥2) were seen in 122 (76.5 %) cases.
Conclusions
The maximum occurrence of stroke was seen in patients > 60 years. Overall male
preponderance and higher occurrence of haemorrhagic stroke was seen in our
study. Significant risk factors in order of descending order were hypertension,
cigarette smoking, left ventricular hypertrophy, alcohol use, atrial fibrillation and
elevated triglycerides.
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