Frequency of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients of Ischemic Stroke Presenting in Emergency

Abstract

Background: Stroke also known as cerebrovascular accident is sudden onset of neurological deficit due to vascular injury. About 87% of strokes are ischemic, the rest being hemorrhagic. Atrial fibrillation is an arrhythmia in which there is irregularly irregular heart beat which can lead to thrombus formation and then cardioembolic stroke. Objective: The study objective was to determine the frequency of atrial fibrillation in patients of ischemic stroke presenting in Emergency Department of the Hospital and its associations. Study Design: Retrospective observational study. Settings: Department of ???, DHQ Hospital Narowal Pakistan. Duration: Record of patients presented at DHQ Hospital Narowal form 03-03-2022 to 03-03-2023 reviewed. Methods: After taking ethical approval from head of the institution (Ref No. 451/PA-MS, dated 03-03-2023) medical record of patients presented with focal neurological deficit at DHQ Hospital Narowal during this period was reviewed.134 patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Information regarding their demographic data was noted in the performa. Record of CT Scan brain plain or report of CT brain and ECG findings were noted. Results: Amongst 134 participants, the mean age of participants was noted to be 52.93 ± 16.82 years. There were 44.8% male patients while remaining were females. Hypertension was present in 67.2% patients while 51.5% of patients were smoker. Atrial fibrillation was present in 37.3% patients. By using chi-square test, significant association was observed between presence of atrial fibrillation and gender, different age groups and smoking with p-value < 0.005. There was no significant association observed between atrial fibrillation and hypertension having p-value >0.05. Conclusion: Atrial fibrillation was present in 37.3% patients of ischemic stroke presenting in Emergency Department of the Hospital. Effect modifiers have significant effect except hypertension on the presence of atrial fibrillation.