PREVALENCE OF CEREBROVASCULAR ACCIDENTS IN 1000 PATIENTS WITH ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION IN IMAMREZA AND GHAEM HOSPITALS OF MASHAD, IRAN IN 2001

Background and Due to the significance of cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) and coronary arterial diseases (CAD) which occur contemporary in a short period and due to lack of reports in this regard, this study was planned to determine the prevalence of CVA in patients suffering from Acute Myocardial Infraction (AMI). Methods and Materials: This prospective, cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with convenient sampling. All clinical and Para clinical information of 1000 patients with AMI hospitalized in Imamreza and Ghaem Hospitals of Mashad, Iran, were collected at their bedside using questionnaires. The prevalence of CVA was 2.2% where 73% were ischemic and 27% were hemorrhagic. 82% were male and the rest female; hemorrhagic CVA was most prevalent in women. They were most commonly found between 61 and 70 years of age. CVA occurred mostly between 4 and 11 Oclock in the morning, when AMI was also of high prevalence. Also Hypertension in Smokers was the greatest risk factor for CVA but no relationship was found to exist between arythmia and CVA. CVA led to death in 18% of the cases and 82% were discharged with residual morbidity. The results indicated that, like global studies, CV A can be considered as one of the complications of AMI. High prevalence of hypertension is certainly a re-emphasis on controlling the blood pressure for the prevention of CVA and its fundamental influence on health and socioeconomic issues of the community.