Current state of secondary prevention medication for patients with high risk of recurrent ischemic stroke in Changzhou city / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the application of secondary prevention medication for patients with high risk of recurrent ischemic stroke in Changzhou city,analyze the reasons for decreased medication compliance,and evaluate the current secondary prevention medication.Methods We investigated 300 consecutive hospitalized patients with acute non-cardiogenic and ischemic stroke high risk.High risk of recurrent stroke was defined as ESSEN Stroke Risk Score (ESRS) ≥3.Different ESRS scales consisting of different parameters were analyzed.All of the patients received standard secondary prevention of ischemic stroke at discharge.After three months and a year follow up,antiplatelet therapy,therapy of risk factors (hypertension and diabetes mellitus),lipid lowering therapy,and medication compliance were investigated.Results Except for age (x2 =126.54,P =0.000) and previous cerebral ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) (x2 =21.27,P =0.000),there were no significant differences in other risk factors (hypertension,diabetes,previous myocardial infarction,heart diseases,smoke) in patients with different ESRS scale scores (all P＞ 0.05).Antiplatelet therapy utilization was 98.3％ (295/300),antihypertensive and antidiabetic drug use rates were 95.0％(255/268) and 100％(72/72),statin use rate reached to 99％ (297/300) at discharge.After three months follow up,medication compliance in hypertension and diabetes mellitus therapy was the best [88.1％(222/252)and 86.2％ (56/65)],followed by aspirin [82.0％ (228/278)],and clopidogrel [6.1％ (17/278)].The medication compliance in lipid lowering therapy was the worst [60.1％ (167/278)].After a year follow-up versus the previous three-month follow-up,the medication compliance in hypertension and diabetes mellitus therapy was increased,but had no significant difference [89.9 ％ (220/245) vs.88.1％ (222/252),93.4％(57/61)vs.86.2％(56/65),P＞0.05],and the medication compliances inantiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel,and lipid lowering therapy were increased significantly [93.2％ (245/263)vs.82.0％ (228/278),30.8(81/263) vs.6.1％ (17/278),88.9％ (234/263) vs.60.1％ (167/278),all P＜0.01].The increment of use rate was higher in clopidogrel therapy than in aspirin therapy.Conclusions The secondary prevention medication achieves certain efficacies in patients with high risk of recurrent ischemic stroke in changzhou city.Long term follow-up and good communication between doctor and patient can effectively improve the medication compliance in secondary prevention,and can increase the use rate of antiplatelet therapy in patients with high risk of recurrent ischemic stroke.