Abstract W P333: Medications for Secondary Stroke Prevention at Hospital Discharge in Da Nang, Viet Nam

Abstract

Background: Developing countries, such as Viet Nam, are currently undergoing a health transition from infectious to chronic medical conditions, including vascular diseases. Medications for secondary stroke prevention may be underused. Our objectives were to quantify the frequency of such underuse and to identify patient characteristics associated with it. Methods: Data from consecutive patients admitted with stroke to Da Nang Hospital from March 2010 through February 2011 were collected using the WHO Stroke STEPS approach. Patients with ischemic stroke (IS) discharged alive, and not sent home to die, were included. Hypertension (HTN), diabetes mellitus (DM) and hyperlipidemia (HL) were conditions eligible for preventative medications at discharge. "Underuse" was defined as prescribing less than all appropriate medications, given each patient’s conditions. Patients with intraparenchymal hemorrhage were excluded from analyses. Multivariate associations with underuse were assessed for age, gender, number of conditions, stroke symptoms, employment status, level of education, hospital ward, and discharge modified Rankin scale. Results: Of 754 patients admitted with stroke, 260 patients met our inclusion criteria with a mean age of 67.2 years and with 42% women. Most had HTN (91.5%), and some, DM (9.6%) and HL (11.2%). Patients mostly had ≥ 2 conditions needing treatment at discharge (93.5 %). Underuse occurred in 69.2%, with only half being discharged on antithrombotic agents. Factors independently associated with underuse included older age (RR=1.06 per decade; 95% CI: 1.0-1.1), admission to the ward caring for most stroke patients (RR=2.3; 95% CI: 1.5-3.5), and completing only primary school education (RR=1.3; 95% CI: 1.1-1.7). Conclusions: Stroke patients discharged from Da Nang Hospital in Viet Nam are not consistently prescribed medications for secondary stroke prevention. A specific ward, older age, and lower education were independently associated with underuse of preventative medications. Opportunities exist to increase use of medications for secondary stroke prevention at the time of hospital discharge, but barriers will need to be identified.