PREVALENCE OF RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH STROKE

Abstract

Objective: To assess the most common type of stroke and to determine the rateof different risk factors of stroke.

Methodology: This cross sectional study was conducted at Armed ForcesInstitute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Rawalpindi, from 1st July to 31st December2016. The study included patients with acute or chronic stroke of either type i.einfarct or hemorrhagic stroke. Pre planned questionnaire including severalvariables like age, gender, type of stroke, area involved, side of hemiplegia andknown risk factors of stroke like hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cardiacdiseases, smoking, stress, sedentary life style and family history was recorded.Sampling was done by consecutive non-probability technique. The data wascollected and analyzed using SPSS-20.

Results: Among 100 stroke patients 65% were males. The mean age was 20 to60 years. About 75% had ischemic stroke while 25% had hemorrhagic stroke.Among all stroke patients 64% had sedentary life style. 34% patients had familyhistory of stroke, 71% had hypertension, 52% had diabetes mellitus and 35%males had habit of smoking. Of all 68% patients had MCA lesion, 7% had PCAlesion and 25% had ACA lesion, 33% had cardiac problems and stress wasamong 31% patients.

Conclusion: Our study explored that risk factors for stroke are advanced age,sedentary life style and associated diseases like hypertension and diabetesmellitus.