Risk factors related to systemic arterial hypertension in victims of cerebral vascular accident

Abstract

The Cerebrovascular accident (AVC) is the third cause of death in the world. Apart systemic arterial hypertension (HAS), many other preventable factors are related to its appearance and evolution. This study aimed at identifying the risk factors for AVC in interned hypertensive patients. It was a descriptive study held at a philanthropic hospital in Sobral- Ceará, with fourteen patients taken ill with AVC. Among those, 85.7% (n=12) were above 65 years old and the same quantitative were retired; 71,4% (n=10) were female; 64.3% (n=9) were undertaking treatment for HAS for approximately 1 to 3 years; 57.2% (n=8) consumed low-sodium diet and this same amount manifested the occurrence of another episode of AVC; 78.6% (n=11) did not practice any physical activity; the same amount were or had been smokers; and the same quantitative had been taken ill by ischemic cerebral vascular accident; 42.6% (n=6) did not follow the medicine therapy. We conclude that, the main risk factors for AVC in the referred hypertensive patients were: the age, the not adherence to the treatment, the lack of precocious hypertension detection, the sedentary lifestyle, the precariousness of diet habits changes and the existence of other associated diseases. This remits to the importance of implementing health education actions, in order to get the users to be aware about the need of a greater adherence to the treatment and to abolish risk factors, diminishing the acute and chronic complications of HAS.