title: Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among elderly Brazilians over eighty with ischemic stroke.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An ischemic stroke is usually a catastrophic event, mostly in the elderly. Cardiovascular involvement is the leading cause of ischemic stroke in this age population and hence the knowledge about its risk factors is important for the definition of specific policies of prevention.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in patients with age equal to or above 80 in a hospital population with ischemic stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study of consecutive patients diagnosed with ischemic stroke admitted to a tertiary health facility.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From September 2004 to March 2006, 215 patients were studied. There was a female preponderance (p<0.01). Among patients over eighty, 72% had hypertension and atrial fibrillation was more common among the oldest old (p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hypertension and atrial fibrillation should be treated aggressively in the elderly. Anticoagulants should be considered more often in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. apieri@einstein.br
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pieri
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spitz
authors.forename: Tania Oliveira
authors.initials: TO
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: Claudia Garcia
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: de Barros
authors.forename: Marcelo Wood
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Faulhaber
authors.forename: Alberto Alain
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Gabbai
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cendoroglo-Neto
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants