Risk factors associated with stroke among the clients attending Neuro and Allied Clinic, Bhairahawa

Abstract

Introduction: Stroke is a preventable and treatable disease. Prevention of risk factors is the key point to decrease mortality and morbidity related with stroke. This study aims to determine the risk factors of stroke among Nepalese population of Mid–Western part of Nepal at Neuro and Allied Clinic, Bhairahawa.

Materials and methods: A cross sectional, descriptive study was carried out from 22/10/2017 to 11/11/2017 among 52 patients with stroke. Data were collected by using semi– structured interview, schedule on outpatient department at Neuro and Allied Clinic, Bhairahawa. All patients above 18 years, diagnosed clinically and radiologically as stroke, were included in this study.

Results: In this study, among 52 patients, 73.1%patients were male and 26.9% were female. Mean age of occurrence was 56.12 years (56.12±13.35). Most (86.5%) of the patients were literate and 94.2%were ischemic stroke type. Among the risk factors 67.3%were hypertensive, 65.38%were obese with mean BMI (26.1kg/m²±4.0), 50%were alcoholic, 25%were smokers, 28.8%were diabetics, 17.3% patients were not involved in physical activities, 9.6%had dyslipidemia, and 9.6% had cardiac diseases. Likewise, 9.6% had stressful lifestyle, 5.8% patients had a positive family history of stroke, 17.3%were taking fruits every day and 78.8%were taking vegetables every day. Among 14 female patients 14.2% patients had taken oral contraceptive pills. Among hypertensive patient 28.57%were not taking antihypertensive and 17.1%were identified at the time of stroke attack.

Conclusion: This study concludes that most common risk factors of stroke in study population were hypertension, obesity, alcohol consumption and smoking which is comparable with western data. Significant number of risk factors were only identified at the time of stroke, due to lack of regular general checkup practices in Nepal.