Evaluation of acute ischemic stroke in the emergency department, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: a retrospective study

Abstract

Background: Stroke is a severe illness that can cause death and significant disability. Age is a factor in the incidence of ischemic stroke. In our study, we aimed at contributing the acute stroke data in Saudi population by defining the etiological, epidemiological, demographic, and clinical characteristics of individuals with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Method: A retrospective descriptive was conducted involving patients admitted to the adult emergency department due to an AIS at King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between March 1, 2020 and August 31, 2020. Data preparation and statistical analysis were done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 24 and Microsoft Excel, respectively. Results: Among the study participants, 55.2% (n = 144) were men with an average of 65.8. Among the AIS patients, 34.2% of the patients had coronary artery disease, 30.3% had diabetic mellitus, and 61.9% had hypertension (HT) history. Conclusion: The incidence of AIS was statistically significantly higher in older age groups, with 72.5% of patients between the ages of 60 and 89. The distribution of HT, diabetes mellitus, and atrial fibrillation by gender in patient backgrounds was found to be significant (p < 0.05).