Detection of vascular risk factors and unknown atrial fibrillation in patients hospitalised in the stroke unit

INTRODUCTION: Certain modifiable cerebrovascular risk factors, such as arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia and atrial fibrillation, must be recognised and controlled if a decrease in the appearance of cerebrovascular diseases is to be achieved. On some occasions the presenting symptom of these risk factors may be a stroke. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective observation-based study was conducted with a sample of patients who were admitted to the stroke unit of our hospital due to an acute cerebrovascular disease, namely transient ischaemic attack and ischaemic stroke, in order to determine the percentage of patients with previously undiagnosed arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia and atrial fibrillation. RESULTS: A total of 186 patients were selected for the study. Of the total number of patients, 24 presented unknown arterial hypertension (12.9%); 11 had unknown diabetes mellitus (5.9%); 49 had unknown hypercholesterolemia (26.3%); 15 had unknown hypertriglyceridemia (8.1%); and 22 had unknown atrial fibrillation (11.8%). Altogether 96 of them (51.6%) had at least one of these cerebrovascular risk factors. The existence of a previously undiagnosed risk factor was higher in the rural setting, in subjects who had not died at six months and in transient ischaemic attacks than in cases of ischaemic strokes. CONCLUSIONS: Over half the subjects who suffer a cerebrovascular event have a risk factor that has not previously been diagnosed. Campaigns should be carried out to implement detection of these factors, and increased efforts must be made to lower the appearance and recurrence of vascular pathologies.