(P1-3) Frequency of Cerebrovascular Diseases and Risk Factors in Emergency Department in Banja Luka

Abstract

Introduction

Cerebrovascular disease include all disorders in which a part of brain is transiently or persistently damaged by ischemia or bleeding and/or where one or more blood vessels of brain are primarily damaged by pathological processes. The research confirmed the influence of risk factors.

Objective

The primary objective was to measure frequency of patients with cerebrovascular diseases in the Emergency Service during the period from September 1, 2008 to March 1, 2009. The secondary objective was to prove co-morbidity between the risk factors and cerebrovascular diseases.

Method

Numerical indicators for patients with cerebrovascular diseases are extracted retrospectively by statistical work-up for the six-month period. The data indicating the risk factors predisposing cerebrovascular diseases are obtained through the (hetero)anamnesis.

Results

From the overall number of 24,600 patients, 127 patients had a diagnosis of cerebrovascular diseases. The frequency of cerebrovascular diseases is linearly increasing with age; after the age of 50, frequency is doubled. The frequency of cerebrovascular diseases is higher in women than in men, the role of heredity is significant, and risk factors influenced development of cerebrovascular diseases as follows: 50.40% of patients had hypertension, 16.54% diabetes mellitus, 48.82% smoking cigarettes, 40.94% obesity, 20.47% alcohol abuse, 11.02% migraine-like headaches, 30.71% cardiovascular diseases and 22.05% hyperlipidemias.

Conclusion

Cerebrovascular diseases are increasing in developing countries. The main reason is poor control of risk factors. In the majority of cases it is possible to produce decrease of frequency of cerebrovascular diseases by elimination and reduction of risk factors through the change of life style. Pre-hospital urgent concept of therapy and improving of organization of emergency service will contribute to decreasing mortality and morbidity of cerebrovascular diseases.