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Stroke Reduction In Primary Care Suboptimal: Presented at NASM

By Lynn Haley

Special to DG News

SAN DIEGO, CA -- August 19, 2001 -- Primary care physicians can do much more to help their patients prevent strokes, according to a study by researchers in Melbourne, Florida.

Their findings were presented at the 2001 North American Stroke Meeting held here August 15th-18th.

Researchers assessed the management of stroke risk factors before and after cerebral ischemia.

Using the medical records of 215 stroke patients, they reviewed the data to determine the prevalence and treatment of risk factors such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, alcohol consumption and obesity before and after stroke.

Those patients who had been treated with anti-thrombotic medication were recorded. There were 95 men (47 percent) and 118 women (55 percent) in the study.

Results showed that of the patients who had hypertension (171), 120 (70 percent) had been receiving treatment prior to having a stroke, and 142 (83 percent) after the event.

Following the stroke, 30 percent of the patients (34/112) achieved better control of hypertension (p=0.001).

Of the 112 patients (52 percent) with hyperlipidemia, 41 (36 percent) were on treatment prior to their stroke, and 72 (69 percent) after their stroke. Better lipid control was reported in 28 percent (26/93) following the stroke (p= .01). Eighty-five patients (40 percent) were on aspirin prior to, and 125 (58 percent; p=0.001) following stroke.

Investigators noted no change in smoking habits, alcohol use or weight loss following stroke.

They concluded that risk factor management improves, but only after a patient has had a stroke. They said primary stroke prevention must be improved.

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