The Incidence of Ischemic Stroke and Its Associated Factors in Young Adults in Kermanshah Over a Seven-Year Period

Abstract

Background: Cerebrovascular accidents are the most prevalent debilitating neurological disease and the third leading cause of death in the world. Although the incidence of stroke increases with age, its prevalence is growing in the young. Objectives: In the present study the incidence of ischemic stroke and its associated risk factors was investigated in young adults in the city of Kermanshah, Iran over a seven-year period. Methods: The present study was conducted on 122 patients below the age of 45 years who hospitalized with ischemic stroke in the Department of Neurology of Imam Reza Hospital in Kermanshah between 2007 and 2014. Data, including age, gender, history of hypertension, smoking status, the history of heart disease, taking high-risk medications, the history of internal diseases, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus and causes of stroke were recorded in the designed a checklist. Results: The incidence of ischemic stroke had been growing in individuals under the age of 45 years in Kermanshah during 2007 - 2014. The mean and standard deviation of age was 37.33 ± 7.05 years among participants. They included 57 female (46.7%) and 65 males (53.3%). The most prevalent risk factors in the study patients respectively comprised the history of hypertension (30.3%), smoking status (28.7%), the history of heart disease (26.2%), taking high-risk medications (23.8%), the history of internal diseases (22.9%), hyperlipidemia (20.5%) and diabetes mellitus (18.8%). Early atherosclerosis (23.8%) was also found to be the most common cause of ischemic stroke in these patients. Conclusions: There is a considerable increase in the incidence of ischemic stroke in young people. Control of the risk factors, raising public awareness, and changing lifestyle are crucial for preventing cerebrovascular accidents and their associated complications and death.