Cardiovascular risk factors in patients aged 85 or older with ischemic stroke.
OBJECTIVE
To define a cardiovascular risk factor profile in very old patients with ischemic stroke.


METHODS
Data from a prospective hospital-based stroke registry was collected. Demographic characteristics and cardiovascular risk factors in individuals aged 85 years or older with ischemic stroke (n=303) were compared with patients under 85 years (n=1537).


RESULTS
The study population accounted for 16.5% of all cases of ischemic stroke. The mean (S.D.) age was 88.2 (2.8) years (70% women). Hypertension occurred in 44.9% of patients, atrial fibrillation in 42.6%, diabetes in 16.2%, and congestive heart failure in 15.5%. The most frequent stroke subtypes were cardioembolic (36%) and atherothrombotic (31.4%) infarction. Congestive heart failure (odds ratio [OR]=3.62), chronic renal disease (OR=2.54), female sex (OR=2.27), previous cerebrovascular disease (OR=1.71), and atrial fibrillation (OR=1.38) were significantly associated with ischemic stroke, whereas diabetes (OR=0.68), hypertension (OR=0.61), hyperlipidemia (OR=0.45), and heavy smoking (OR=0.21) occurred more frequently in patients under 85 years.


CONCLUSIONS
Adequate treatment of potentially modifiable risk factors, including congestive heart failure, chronic renal disease, and atrial fibrillation may contribute to prevent ischemic stroke in very old people.
Arboix
Adrià
A
Cerebrovascular Division, Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitari del Sagrat Cor, Viladomat 288, E-08029 Barcelona, Spain. aarboix@hscor.com
Miguel
Marisol
M
Císcar
Eugenia
E
García-Eroles
Luis
L
Massons
Juan
J
Balcells
Miquel
M
D000367:Age Factors; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015897:Comorbidity / Q000639:trends; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology