Epidemiological evaluation of stroke in Babol, northern Iran (2001-2003).

This retrospective descriptive analytical study was performed on 250 patients (130 males and 120 females) diagnosed to have stroke in the Department of Neurology, Babol, Iran, from April 2001 to April 2003.The risk factors for stroke were recorded. The frequencies of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cardiac diseases and hyperlipidemia were 54, 24, 43.2 and 26%, respectively. All these epidemiological factors were associated with stroke (p < 0.05). The incidence of stroke was 50/100,000 population during 2 years. It happened more often in females than males, and ischemic stroke (67%) was twice as frequent than hemorrhagic stroke (33%). The mortality rate was 32%. The most common epidemiological risk factors for stroke in our region were hypertension, cardiac diseases and diabetes mellitus. (c) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel