Frequency of Stroke and Factors Associated With It Among Old Age Hypertensive Patients in Karachi, Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: Worldwide, stroke has become the major cause of mortality and morbidity among the old age population. Hypertension is one of the factors associated with stroke. Individuals with hypertension are at high risk of developing stroke. This study was conducted to determine the frequency of stroke factors associated with it among old-age hypertensive patients in Karachi, Pakistan. Methods: It was a cross-sectional study conducted in outpatient departments (OPD) of two tertiary care hospitals of Karachi, Pakistan, including Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC) and Ziauddin Hospital. Eligible patients were invited to be a part of the study, and informed consent was taken from them before data collection. Results: Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that age (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.03-1.11), smoking (AOR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.14-2.72), lack of physical activity (AOR:2.57, 95% CI: 1.60-4.14), medication adherence (AOR: 4.22, 95% CI: 2.69-6.62), and dyslipidemia (AOR: 1.98, 95% CI: 1.23-3.21) were significantly related to prevalence of stroke in hypertensive population over 60 years or above. Conclusion: The prevalence of stroke was high in the hypertensive population aged above 60 years and above. The study found that factors significantly associated with stroke among the hypertensive population aged 60 years or above, included age, smoking, lack of physical activity, medication adherence, BMI, and dyslipidemia.