Studies of Risk Factors in Stroke Patients

Abstract

The correction of risk fators is very important in the prevention of stroke. This study was designed to investigate the risk factors of stroke patients and to correlate these risk factors with Functional Independence Measure(FIM) scores to be used for possible prognostic values in rehabilitation program. The subjects were 75 patients from 36 to 84 years of age. Data collection was done through chart reviews on risk factors of stroke including hypertension, transient ischemic attacks or previous stroke history, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, cigarette smoking, alcohol intake and hypercholesterolemia. Risk factors in stroke by the order of frequency were hypertension(68.0%), previous stroke history(38.7%), heart diseases(22.7%), hypercholesterolemia(24.0%), and diabetes mellitus(16.0%). The frequency of hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, smoking in cerebral infarction group was higher than in intracerebral hemorrhagic group. There was no stastically significant correlation between risk factors and FIM scores. The results suggest that hypertension was the most important risk factor in stroke and the rate of risk factors was higher in cerebral infarction than in cerebral hemorrhage.