Características sociodemográficas y evolución clínica de los pacientes con enfermedad cerebrovascular atendidos en el Hospital General de la Plaza de la Salud en el período 2023

Introduction

Cerebrovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading morbidities affecting humans, ranking second in the Americas —and therefore in our country— as a cause of mortality. It is also the main cause of disability worldwide.

Objective

To determine the sociodemographic characteristics and clinical progression of patients with CVD treated at the Hospital General de la Plaza de la Salud during the year 2023.

Materials and methods

An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study with retrospective data collection was conducted. Variables such as age, sex, type of disease, clinical manifestations, comorbidities, imaging methods, blood glucose levels, hospital stay, and clinical outcomes were evaluated. The sample consisted of 105 patients.

Results

The predominant age group for both types of CVD was 65 years or older, accounting for 47% in ischemic stroke cases and 64% in intraparenchymal hemorrhage. In subarachnoid hemorrhage, the predominant age group was 33–40 years, representing 31% of cases. Hospital stay for ischemic stroke was less than 7 days in 81% of cases. In contrast, subarachnoid hemorrhage and intraparenchymal hemorrhage had hospital stays greater than or equal to 7 days in 58 and 73% of cases, respectively. The percentage of patients discharged alive was highest in ischemic stroke at 96%, compared to 58% in subarachnoid hemorrhage and 73% in intraparenchymal hemorrhage.

Conclusions

According to the study results, the progression and hospital stay of patients with hemorrhagic CVD were more severe compared to those found in reviewed studies. As a recommendation, health authorities are urged to create specialized care units for CVD, equipped with medical teams to optimize patient diagnosis and treatment.