Assessment of risk factors and management of ischemic stroke at Ibrahim Malik Teaching Hospital in Khartoum, 2018

Context: Ischemic stroke is an acute medical condition with life-threatening complications; therefore, understanding its common risk factors, early management, prevention from recurrent attack, and in our population is necessary. Aim: The aim of this study is to assess common risk factors and management of ischemic stroke at Ibrahim Malik Teaching Hospital (Khartoum, Sudan). Methodology: A retrospective, hospital-based study was conducted at Ibrahim Malik Teaching Hospital Khartoum State. The study included all medical records of patients hospitalized with Ischemic stroke from January 2017 to January 2018. The data were collected using a well-designed data collection form and analyzed with SPSS. Results: Out of 116 participants, ischemic stroke was more frequent in males (59.5%), adults over 65 years (57.8%). Forty-four percent of participants had a history of hypertension. Smoking and family history with ischemic stroke were observed only in 10.3% and 5.2% of participants, respectively. Aspirin (100–300) mg plus atorvastatin 40 mg were the most prescribed regimen of 44.8%. The highest type of drug-drug interaction reported was monitor closely (41.4%) and serious (33.6) type drug-drug interactions. While 74.1% of participants were discharged, the rate of death was significantly higher in females and participants over 65 years' age. Conclusions: Past medical history of hypertension and elderly age were the major risk factors with ischemic stroke. Aspirin plus statin therapy is the most frequently used regimen with nonadherence to the guidelines regarding the use of thrombolytic therapy and anticoagulants. Serious type drug-drug interactions were detected among prescribed medications.