title: Patterns and predictors of antihypertensive medication used 1 year after ischemic stroke or TIA in urban China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Antihypertensive treatment is recommended for secondary prevention in patients with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack. Prescription of and persistence with antihypertensives for secondary prevention is high in developed countries; whether this is true in China is unclear. The aim of this study was to describe the patterns of antihypertensive medication use, and factors associated with its use, 1 year after stroke in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 7880 hypertensive patients diagnosed with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack in the China National Stroke Registry were analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with antihypertensive medication use at discharge and 12 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Antihypertensive medication was used by 4458 (56.6%) participants at discharge and 2927 (37.1%) at 12 months. Calcium channel blockers were the most common among five classes of antihypertensive medication prescribed at discharge, and participants prescribed this class had the highest 1-year persistence. In-hospital health education was the strongest predictor of antihypertensive medication use at discharge; age and stroke severity were the strongest negative predictors of use at 12 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Use of antihypertensive medication 1 year after stroke is extremely low in China. Intervention is needed to improve adherence to antihypertensive medication, especially for the elderly and severe stroke patients.
authors: Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors: Jie
authors: J
authors: Xu
authors: Yi
authors: Y
authors: Ju
authors: Chunjuan
authors: C
authors: Wang
authors: Yilong
authors: Y
authors: Wang
authors: Liping
authors: L
authors: Liu
authors: Xingquan
authors: X
authors: Zhao
authors: Chunxue
authors: C
authors: Wang
authors: Anxin
authors: A
authors: Wang
authors: Yongjun
authors: Y
authors: Wang
keywords: antihypertensive agents; secondary stroke prevention; stroke
references: Stroke. 2010 Feb;41(2):397-401
references: 20075360
references: Stroke. 2003 Nov;34(11):2741-8
references: 14576382
references: JAMA. 1994 Mar 16;271(11):840-4
references: 8114238
references: Stroke. 1989 Oct;20(10):1407-31
references: 2799873
references: Neurol Res. 2006 Jan;28(1):16-20
references: 16464357
references: Stroke. 2001 Aug;32(8):1884-9
references: 11486121
references: Circulation. 2011 Apr 19;123(15):1611-21
references: 21464050
references: Neurology. 2011 Sep 20;77(12):1182-90
references: 21900638
references: Zhonghua Xin Xue Guan Bing Za Zhi. 2011 Jul;39(7):579-615
references: 22088239
references: BMC Neurol. 2008 Jul 10;8:25
references: 18616796
references: Stroke. 2011 Jan;42(1):227-76
references: 20966421
references: Stroke. 2010 May;41(5):967-74
references: 20224061
references: Int J Stroke. 2011 Aug;6(4):355-61
references: 21609414
references: Neurol Res. 2008 May;30(4):348-55
references: 18544250