PREVALENCE OF ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION IN ISCHEMIC STROKE PATIENTS

Risk factors for ischemic brain disease can be classified into modifiable and nonmodifiable. Among others, modifiable risk factors include the alcohol consumption. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of alcohol consumption in ischemic stroke patients aged 15-45 and 46-75 years, and to compare the two age groups with regard to this risk factor. The study sample comprised a total of 120 male and female ischemic stroke patients, and were divided into two groups - one with 60 patients aged 15-45 years and the other with 60 patients aged 46-75 years, treated at the Clinic for Neurology of the Clinical Centre of Vojvodina, Novi Sad in the period 2005-2008. All the patients fulfilled the clinical and radiological criteria for the diagnosis of ischemic stroke. The risk factor studied was alcohol consumption (over 60g/days). In the younger study group, alcohol consumption was found in 16,9% of the subjects. In the older study group, alcohol consumption was present in 26,7% of the subjects. In both groups (120 patients), alcohol consumption was found in 21,7% of patients. The results of our study indicate that alcohol consumption as a risk factor for ischemic stroke was prevalent in the older ischemic stroke patients; however, the difference was not statistically significant.