Subtypes of ischemic stroke in a metropolitan city of South India (one year data from a hospital based stroke registry)

Abstract

Limited data exists on the subtypes of ischemic stroke from the Indian\nsubcontinent. The present study was aimed to investigate the frequency,\nspectrum and risk factors of various subtypes of ischemic stroke in a\nsouth Indian referral center. The study was conducted on consecutive\npatients of ischemic stroke, fully investigated to determine the\nunderlying mechanism and enrolled in the stroke registry of Nizam's\nInstitute of Medical Sciences between Ist February 2000 to 31st January\n2001. There were 282 men and 110 women (mean age 54 years; range 2-97\nyears). Of all ischemic stroke patients, 41%, 18%, 10%, 4%, and 27%\nwere classified as large-artery atherosclerosis, lacunae,\ncardioembolism, other determined etiology and undetermined etiology\nrespectively. The most notable difference of this registry from western\nregistries was the predominance of intracranial rather than\nextracranial location of the large artery atherosclerosis.\nHypertension, diabetes and smoking were the common risk factors among\nall the subtypes. Coronary artery disease and rheumatic heart disease\nwere responsible for most of the cardioembolic strokes.