PREVALENCE OF STROKE IN HAWLER, KURDISTAN REGION- IRAQ

Volume 11 , Issue 4 , December 2021 , Pages 485-491

Authors

Aso Sheikhbzeni 1

1 Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Hawler, Kurdistan Region, Iraq.

DOI logo 10.17656/jsmc.10335

Keywords

Abstract

Background
Stroke is one of the significant health problems in Iraqi Kurdistan. No study addressing the prevalence of
stroke has been conducted in this region.
Objectives
We aimed to find the prevalence of stroke in general in Hawler, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan.
Patients and Methods
This cross-sectional study comprised a household survey of a clustered and randomly selected sample of the
city’s population, and it was conducted from October 1st, 2018, to December 31st, 2019.
Results
Out of 4203 persons (905 families) we interviewed, only 33 patients (17 males and 16 females) had developed
stroke, with a lifetime prevalence of 7.8/1000. Persons aged 60-74 years were the most typical target for
stroke. The ratio of cerebral infarction (72.7%) to haemorrhage (27.3%) was 2.6:1. The subtypes of stroke
were as follows: thrombotic 42.4%), embolic (12.1%), lacunar (18.2%), intracerebral haemorrhage (15.2%), and
subarachnoid haemorrhage (12.1%). Hypertension was the most critical risk factor (54.5%), while smoking,
diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia were found to be other major risk factors.
Conclusion
Despite the lack of epidemiological data, the burden of stroke seems to be high in Hawler. Although ischemic
strokes were more common than hemorrhagic ones, the relative proportion of haemorrhage was higher when
compared to the Western population. There was no significant difference between genders in the disease
pattern. Modifiable risk factors were common among patients with stroke.

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  • Published at21 December 2021

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