title: Cardiovascular risk factors in patients aged 85 or older with ischemic stroke.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Cerebrovascular Division, Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitari del Sagrat Cor, Viladomat 288, E-08029 Barcelona, Spain. aarboix@hscor.com
authors.forename: Adrià
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arboix
authors.forename: Marisol
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miguel
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Císcar
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: García-Eroles
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Massons
authors.forename: Miquel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balcells
mesh_terms: 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