Background:
Stroke remains one of the leading causes of death globally, with a significant prevalence among elderly individuals. The impact of
stroke extends beyond mortality, profoundly affecting the quality of life for patients and placing considerable strain on healthcare
systems and society as a whole. Consequently, evaluating the pharmacoeconomic aspects of stroke management is crucial for
effective treatment strategies and resource allocation.
Objective:
The study is to determine the symptoms, risk factors, and prescription patterns in stroke patients.
The degree of disability in stroke patients using a modified Rankin scale (mRS)
Methods:
Conducted over six months in the inpatient department, the prospective observational study involved 120 stroke patients aged ≥18
years, diagnosed via CT/MRI after obtaining ethical approval.
Results:
The findings revealed a predominance of male patients (60.83%) with a majority in the 51–60 year age group (25%), followed by
those aged 41–50 years (24.16%). Asignificant portion of the study was both alcoholics and smokers (30.83%), with alcoholism
being the most prevalent social habit. Hypertension emerged as the most common comorbidity (55%), followed by diabetes
mellitus (35.83%) and coronary artery disease (10%). Ischemic strokes accounted for 95% of cases, compared to 5% for
hemorrhagic strokes. The primary presenting symptom was slurred speech (75%), followed by right-side hemiplegia (40%) and
left-side hemiplegia (25%). On the modified Rankin Scale, 61 patients had a score of 3, while 31 had a score of 1. By day 30, 35
patients improved to a score of 0. Drug utilization analysis of 633 prescriptions revealed that antiplatelet agents (20.06%) were the
most frequently used, followed by antihypertensives (17.37%) and HMG-CoAreductase inhibitors (16.27%).
Conclusion:
Early diagnosis, lifestyle modifications, and combined drug therapies can mitigate complications and enhance patient outcomes.
Addressing risk factors like hypertension, diabetes, smoking, and alcohol use is essential in reducing the stroke burden.