A survey on compliance with secondary stroke prevention guidelines and follow up for the inpatients with atherosclerotic cerebral infarction/transient ischemic attack.
OBJECTIVE
Poor compliance with evidence-based medicine guidelines could significantly influence the effect of stroke prevention strategies. The objective of this survey is to evaluate the current status of adherence to secondary prevention guidelines based on evidence-based medicine and related lifestyle modifications, both at hospital discharge and 90 days after discharge for inpatients with atherosclerotic cerebral infarction/transient ischemic attack (TIA) in Beijing.


METHODS
The survey enrolled patients with cerebral infarction/TIA, from seven hospitals in Beijing consecutively from 1 October 2006 to 1 May 2007, and was designed to record detailed information including ACEI/ARB, statins, anti-platelet agent therapy, carotid endarterectomy, angioplasty or stent, smoking and weight control behaviors.


RESULTS
Seven hundred and eight cerebral infarction/TIA inpatients had been enrolled over the past 7 months from the year of 2006 to 2007. The proportion of patients with ischemic stroke that have not taken any anti-platelet agents, statins and ACEI/ARB were 0.4, 41.8 and 63.6%, respectively. Twenty-seven percent of the total patients have not followed the instructions on quitting tobacco. Five hundred and eighty-eight patients who are suitable to have drug therapy were followed up 90 day after discharge: 26.9% have not adhered to anti-platelet agents; 52.6% have not been treated by statins, and 59.4% have not had ACEI/ARB to lower blood pressure. Only 66.9% of the smokers have been instructed by clinicians on smoking cessation at the time of discharge.


CONCLUSIONS
The current status of drug therapy and life modification for secondary prevention on ischemic stroke and TIA in Beijing, China, is still very challenging. Clinicians should pay more attention to the patients' adherence to secondary stroke prevention guidelines, to enhance the effectiveness of stroke prevention through filling the gap between the clinical practice and evidence.
Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Affiliate of Capital Medical University, Tiantan Xili No. 6, Chongwen District, Beijing 100050, China.
Ruihua
R
Ma
Chunxue
C
Wang
Xingquan
X
Zhao
Mingjie
M
Xu
Ying
Y
Lv
Ming
M
Wei
Yufen
Y
Cai
Zhuo
Z
Zhang
Li
L
Wang
Weiwei
W
Zhang
Yonghua
Y
Huang
Yao
Y
Li
Hongtao
H
Li
Yongjun
Y
Wang
D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002537:Intracranial Arteriosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors