Diabetes as a risk factor for ischemic stroke in a tertiary health care center, Abuja

Background: Stroke is the rapidly developing loss of brain functions due to a disturbance in the blood vessels supplying blood to the brain. Stroke has many risk factors, prominent among which is diabetes mellitus (DM); a group of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action or both. Hyperglycemia may arise in people with acute ischaemic stroke in previously diabetic patients as well as those without a previous history of diabetes. Given the importance of diabetes as a modifiable risk factor for stroke, we decided to study the prevalence of diabetes among Nigerians with stroke. Methods: Samples of random blood sugar and fasting blood sugar were collected from 120 patients with Ischaemic Stroke admitted into the medical ward, however only the fasting blood glucose sample were used. Ischaemic stroke was confirmed clinically using WHO criteria and radiologically by cranial computed tomography scan or MRI were included in this study. Results: There were 66 (55%) male patients with Ischaemic stroke and females 54 (45%). Their ages range from 30-90 years, out of which majority 68 (57%) was between 50 and 69 years of age. In our study, we found 66 (55%) of the patients had fasting hyperglycaemia; 42 (35%) were newly diagnosed while 24 (20%) were previously known diabetics. Conclusion: It is well known that diabetes mellitus is a risk factor and may contribute to stroke; therefore effort should be made at screen patient with diabetes in our clinics. This is particularly pertinent since some of patients with diabetes were only diagnosed after stroke.