Stroke in patients having inadequate or irregular antihypertensive therapy

One hundred consecutive hypertensive patients with stroke admitted to the medicine units of Dhaka Medical College Hospital were studied. The main objective was to study the extent of drug compliance and control of blood pressure in hypertensive patients who had suffered a stroke. Detailed history and clinical examinations were performed in all patients and outcome was recorded. Of the 100 patients studied there were 73(73%) males, 27 (27%) patients had no formal schooling and 53 (53%) had some education. 48 (48%) patients were from middle class and 36 (36%) were poor, 66 (66%) patients were aware that they were hypertensive though only 8 (12.9%) were taking anti-hypertensive drugs regularly. 62% of the patients had suffered from stroke within 5 years of detection of hypertension, and 15 (15%) patients died in the hospital.