Changes in risk factor profile after ischemic stroke

CHANGE IN HEALTH PROFILE AFTER ISCHEMIC STROKE OR TIA Background and aims. Risk of recurrent stroke may be reduced by 80% if prevention is initiated shortly after the establishment of the diagnosis of a TIA. We aimed at investigating preventive measures in patients admitted with a TIA compared to those with ischemic stroke (IS). Methods. Patients admitted to 3 Copenhagen stroke units with IS (n=320) or TIA (n=84) were followed up 1 year after stroke. We constructed a baseline health profile of 6 variables: no smoking, moderate drinking, physical activity, and receiving antihypertensive treatment, a statin, and antithrombotic treatment/warfarin at discharge from hospital. Mean baseline health profile score was 4.2 in the IS group versus 4.6 in the TIA group (p=0.004). Results. After 1 year we found an increase in abstainers from smoking (p=0.008) and from heavy drinking (p=0.0001) in patients with IS both of which were unchanged among TIA patients. There was no change in physical activity in either group. There was an increase in the proportion of patients on antihypertensive (p=0.007), lipid lowering (p=0.01), and antithrombotic (p=0.0003) treatment in the IS group. An increase among TIA patients was seen in antihypertensive treatment (p=0.02), only. The health profile improved in patients with IS (p<0.0001) but remained unchanged in patients with TIA. Five TIA patients (6%) and 30 IS patients (9%) had had a recurrent stroke or a myocardial infarction (p=0.321). Conclusions. More attention should be paid to the continuous prevention of stroke in patients with TIA.