Risk factors associated with ischemic heart disease occurence in acute ischemic stroke patients.
OBJECTIVE
At specific time periods following ischemic stroke (IS), acute coronary syndrome as ischemic heart disease (IHD) represents a higher risk of death than IS. Not all IS patients can undergo specific examination for IHD detection. The aim of this study was to assess exclusive risk factors (RFs) associated with IHD occurrence in IS patients. Knowledge of these RFs should help in stratifying IS patients for IHD detection.


METHODS
This was a hospital-based, retrospective, single centre study. The sample consisted of 192 consecutive IS patients, divided into two subgroups - Subgroup 1 (54 patients without IHD; 55.6% males; 63.1 ± 11.8 years) and Subgroup 2 (138 patients with IHD; 39.1% males; 76.3 ± 9.6 years). The following factors were identified: age; sex; presence of arterial hypertension, atrial fibrillation, diabetes mellitus; plasma levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density cholesterol, high-density cholesterol; body mass index; presence of carotid plaques. Logistic regression analysis was used for statistical evaluation.


RESULTS
Of all identified risk factors only age (OR=1.109; 95% CI: 1.069 - 1.150, P=0.001) and the presence of arterial hypertension (OR=6.298; 95% CI: 2.215 - 17.905, P=0.003) were exclusively and significantly associated with the presence of IHD in IS patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Age and arterial hypertension may be exclusive risk factors associated with IHD in IS patients.
Comprehensive Stroke Centre, Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc and University Hospital Olomouc, Czech Republic. michal22kovacik@gmail.com
Michal
M
Kovacik
Stefan
S
Madarasz
Michal
M
Kral
Tomas
T
Veverka
Roman
R
Herzig
Petr
P
Kanovsky
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology*