A study of risk factors for ischemic stroke in young adults

Abstract

Background & Aim: Ischemic strokes are the most important and frequent neurological diseases, and are a major cause of disability. High levels of arterial tension, diabetes, smoking and high cholesterol are the most important risk factors for ischemic stroke. They are well studied in the elderly. In young and middle age adults, studies on the risk factors for the occurrence of stroke are not sufficient, especially that modification of these factors may prevent the occurrence of the stroke which greatly affect the patient's quality of life.

This study aim  to Studying the most important risk factors for the occurrence of ischemic stroke in young and middle age adults.

Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in the patients admitted to the Neurology department and intensive care unit at Al-Assad University Hospital in Damascus from 2014 until the beginning of 2019, who had an ischemic cerebrovascular stroke through brain computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. By reference to medical records and collecting information about age, gender and risk factors mentioned above. All data were analyzed using SPSS.

Results: A large number of patients were found to have no risk factors to cause an ischemic stroke. Males were found to be more likely to have lacunar infarction. Patients with blood lipid abnormalities, cardiovascular risk factors, and hypercoagulation were also affected by large arterial segment stroke.

Conclusion: A cause of infarction for each patient younger than 55 years should be sought using multiple surveys including transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography, angiogram, and hypercoagulation study and not only risk factors for occurrence of the common pathogenesis in older persons.