Previously diagnosed hypertension may reduce stroke response time.

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Cardiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Timely treatment is critical for stroke prognosis; the 4.5-hour window for thrombolysis was standard in Poland (2016-2018).
• Delayed hospital admission significantly impacts patient outcomes following a stroke.
• Understanding factors influencing admission time, such as comorbidities, is crucial for improving stroke care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of pre-existing and undiagnosed comorbidities on hospital arrival times in stroke patients.
• To compare comorbidity prevalence between stroke patients admitted within and beyond the 4.5-hour treatment window.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 161 stroke patients admitted >4.5 hours post-symptom onset.
• Assessment for diagnosed and newly detected comorbidities in the study group.
• Comparison with a control group of 85 stroke patients admitted <4.5 hours who received thrombolysis.

Main Results:

• Higher prevalence of diagnosed hypertension (89.41% vs 78.3%) and atrial fibrillation (20.5% vs 5.88%) in patients admitted later (>4.5h).
• No significant difference in newly diagnosed hypercholesterolemia, atrial fibrillation, or hypertension between groups.
• Previously diagnosed hypertension was significantly more common in the group admitted later.

Conclusions:

• Previously diagnosed hypertension and atrial fibrillation are the most frequent comorbidities in stroke patients.
• A diagnosis of hypertension appears to be linked to delayed hospital admission.
• Increased health awareness in patients with diagnosed hypertension might contribute to earlier presentation, contrary to findings.