ORIGINAL PAPER
Post-stroke risk stratification in primary care: implications for occupational and preventive medicine
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1
Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
(Department of Family Medicine)
2
Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Warsaw, Poland
(Department of Orthopedics, Pediatric Orthopedics and Traumatology)
3
Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
(Department of Neurology
4
7th Navy Hospital, Gdańsk, Poland
(Department of Neurology)
5
Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
(Division of Biostatistics and Neural Networks)
Online publication date: 2025-12-16
Corresponding author
Piotr Gutknecht
Medical University of Gdańsk, Department of Family Medicine, Dębinki 7, 80-211 Gdańsk, Poland
HIGHLIGHTS
- Hypertension is the most prevalent cardiovascular risk factor post-stroke.
- Women had more severe strokes and worse functional outcomes than men.
- Atrial fibrillation and chronic kidney disease were associated with higher mortality.
- Stroke survivors require tailored, sex-specific prevention strategies.
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Objectives: Acute ischemic stroke stands as a significant contributor to high disability and mortality rates. Patient after stroke require vigilant supervision
from general practitioners. Cardiovascular prevention emerges as a critical aspect. Physicians play a vital role in managing post-acute care
and preventing secondary complications in patients with stroke after discharge. The aim of the study was to characterize and evaluate the cerebrovascular
risk factors for stroke in patients under the care of general practitioners. Material and Methods: Data were collected from 277 patients after ischemic brain stroke under general practitioner care. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were gathered for all study participants. Results: Data were collected from 277 patients
after ischemic brain stroke under general practitioner care. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were gathered for all study participants.
Results: Gender distribution among the study cohort was 143 females (51.6%) aged mean (M) ± standard deviation (SD) 76.4±11.8 years and
134 males (48.4%), aged 78.5±11.9 years. Hypertension emerged as the most prevalent risk factor, affecting 75.8% of participants. Ischemic heart disease,
lipid disorders, and atrial fibrillation, observed in 30.32%, 30.7%, and 29.6% of patients respectively. Diabetes mellitus was present in 23.1% of
the cohort. The body weight was M±SD 76.9±16 kg, with BMI 27.6±6.6 kg/m2. The presence of atrial fibrillation and chronic kidney disease showed
statistically significant differences between survival and death groups. Statistically significant differences were observed in diastolic blood pressure
in women vs. men (p = 0.0383). Regarding stroke severity, women presented with more severe symptoms (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale
score M = 10.5 vs. 8.3, p = 0.0163) and poorer functional outcomes in modified Rankin Scale (M = 3.3 vs. 2.8, p = 0.0062), a higher prevalence of hypertension
and atrial fibrillation among women compared to men (35.0% vs. 17.5%, p = 0.0045). Conclusions: The authors’ findings highlight the necessity
for sex-specific approaches in stroke management, particularly considering the impact of comorbid conditions such as hypertension and atrial fibrillation on stroke outcomes. Despite the availability of general guidelines, it would be valuable to develop specific guidelines for general practitioners
on ischemic stroke risk factors. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2025;38(6)