[Risk factors for ischemic stroke in patients over 45 years hospitalized at Herminda Martín Hospital in Chillán: A...

To identify the risk factors associated with the first cerebral infarction in patients hospitalized at the Herminda Martín Hospital.

Hospital-based case-control study conducted at Herminda Martín Hospital. We selected 89 incident cases of stroke and 178 controls matched by age and sex. The risk factors studied were the presence of hypertension, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, presence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, overweight, tobacco consumption, secondhand tobacco exposure, alcohol consumption, sedentary lifestyle in leisure time, non-attendance at health controls and low adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Data were analyzed using conditional logistic regression and attributable risk was determined in exposed and at population levels.

69% were male, mean age was 71.8+13.9 years. A significant association was observed between alcohol consumption (OR 1.98 CI95%1.07-3.64) and the probability of occurrence of a first cerebral infarction. For every 100 people in the study population, 19 cases of stroke are avoided (PAF 0.19, 95% CI 0.09-0.27) if systolic blood pressure (SBP) is maintained below 140 mmHg and 28 cases (PAF 0.28 95%CI 0.009-0.27) if alcohol consumption is eliminated.

High blood pressure and alcohol consumption are modifiable risk factors through public and individual policies, which, together with a strengthening of the health system, are necessary to generate a primary prevention plan for stroke.