Treatment of stroke risk factors prior to transient ischemic attack or stroke: a cross sectional survey in Riga East Clinical University Hospital “Gailezers”

The aim of the study is to determine medications used for management of stroke risk factors before hospitalization due to a transient ischemic attack (TIA), an ischemic (IS) or hemorrhagic (HS) stroke at Riga East Clinical University Hospital (RECUH). A retrospective study included 4915 patients that were admitted to RECUH Department of Neurology with TIA, IS or HS between December 2016 andJanuary 2020. Data about presence of stroke risk factors and previous use of prescription drugs was obtained from patients` medical reports and analysed with MS Excel and IBM SPSS, using descriptive statistical methods. Study included 355 (7,2%) patients with TIA, 4058 (82,6%) patients with IS and 502 (10,2%) patients with HS. 61,8% patients were women, 38,2% were men. The average age was 74 (SD ± 12,3). 88,8% of admitted patients had arterial hypertension, 46,7% had dyslipidemia, 44,2% had atrial fibrillation and 16,8% had diabetes mellitus. 71,0% of patients prior to hospitalization for TIA, IS and HS used antihypertensive medications - 68,7%, 72,3% and 62,7% respectively. Lipid lowering drugs were used by 11,7% of patients: 18,9% with TIA, 11,8% with IS, and 5,8% with HS. 20,7% of patients used antiplatlets before admission: 29,6%, 21,3% and 9,0% in subgroups respectively. For management of diabetes mellitus 6,8% of patients used oral antidiabetic drugs and 2,6% insulin: 7,9% and 2,8% with TIA , 7,1% and 2,7% with IS, 3,4% and 1,4% with HS. Oral anticoagulants were used by 7,7% of patients hospitalized for TIA, IS and HS:11,3%, 7,7% and 5,6% respectively. Prior to hospitalization for TIA and stroke 80% of patients were treated for hypertension, 52,9% recieved treatment for diabetes mellitus and 25% of patients with dyslipidemia recieved lipid lowering medications. Only 17,6% of patients with atrial fibrillation recieved oral anticoagulant therapy prior to admission to hospital.