Clinical Comparison between Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke

Abstract

Background:
Stroke is a significant cause of death and disability in the global population. It is categorized as ischemic and hemorrhagic, with clinical features, risk factors, and outcomes of each. Awareness of the difference between these two types of strokes is necessary in order to enhance the diagnosis, management and prevention interventions.

Objective:
To compare the demographic characteristics, risk factors, clinical presentation, radiological findings, and clinical outcomes of patients with ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.

Methodology:
This is a cross-sectional analytical research carried out at the Department of Neurology and Emergency Medicine, Capital Hospital, Capital Development Authority (CDA), Islamabad in during six months. A non-probability consecutive sampling was used to enroll 106 patients who had known stroke. Diagnosis of stroke was done via clinical examination and brain neuroimaging (CT/MRI). A structured proforma was used to gather data on demographics, risk factors, clinical presentation, lesion location and outcome. The analysis was done statistically using SPSS 26.0. Continuous variables were included in the mean and standard deviation format and categorical variables were provided in the form of frequencies and percentages. Independent sample t-test and Chi-square test were used to establish relationships between variables and p 0.05 was taken as a statistically significant level.

Results:
Among the 106 patients, 68 (64.2%) had ischemic stroke and 38 (35.8%) had hemorrhagic stroke. The mean age was 53.99 ± 16.93 years in ischemic stroke patients and 57.71 ± 15.42 years in hemorrhagic stroke patients (p = 0.265). Common risk factors included hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking, hyperlipidemia, and previous stroke; however, none showed a statistically significant association with stroke type. Hemiparesis and speech difficulty were the most frequent clinical presentations. Radiological findings showed parietal lobe involvement as the most common lesion location in ischemic stroke. Clinical outcomes indicated that partial recovery was the most common outcome, followed by persistent disability and death. No statistically significant association was found between stroke type and patient outcomes (p = 0.560).

Conclusion:
Ischemic stroke was the most common subtype among patients in this study. Although several clinical patterns were observed between ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, no statistically significant differences were identified. Early diagnosis and effective management of modifiable risk factors remain essential for reducing the burden of stroke.

Keywords:
Stroke, Ischemic Stroke, Hemorrhagic Stroke, Risk Factors, Clinical Presentation, Neuroimaging