title: Secondary prevention of stroke in elderly people in Poland--results of PolSenior study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the study was to evaluate the frequency of use of oral antiplatelet (OAP) and anticoagulant (OAC) drugs as secondary stroke prevention among older people in Poland and its association with sociodemographic factors, place of residence, and concomitant cardiovascular risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group consisted of 426 subjects with a history of a previous stroke (mean age of 81.5±8.2 years), participants of multicentre, population-based PolSenior study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the study group, 261 people (61.3%) used at least one drug as a secondary prevention. OAPs were regularly used by 237 people (55.6%), and OACs-by 25 people (5.9%). The most often used drug was acetylsalicylic acid. Ticlopidine was more frequently used than clopidogrel, and acenocoumarol was used more often than warfarin. Among all of the concomitant cardiovascular risk factors, congestive heart failure was mostly associated with OAP treatment, and a history of atrial fibrillation-with OAC treatment. Use of drugs did not depend on age, sex, place of residence (rural or urban), level of education and personal income, but it was associated with the region where the respondents lived.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Secondary cardiovascular preventive therapy in Poland is used too rarely in older people after stroke, and it especially concerns anticoagulant therapy in those with a history of atrial fibrillation. Structured educational programmes should be developed in Poland to improve usage of secondary preventive therapy in the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze, Poland. Electronic address: beatamaria.pl@hoga.pl.
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Labuz-Roszak
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Skrzypek
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze, Poland.
authors.forename: Krystyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pierzchała
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Machowska-Majchrzak
authors.affiliation: International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mossakowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chudek
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze, Poland.
authors.forename: Iwona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mańka-Gaca
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze, Poland.
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bartman
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Więcek
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055502:Secondary Prevention / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors
keywords: Acetylsalicylic acid; Antiplatelet drugs; Oral anticoagulant drugs; Secondary prevention; Stroke; The elderly