Prevalence and Clinical Risk Factors of Stroke Among Hypertensive Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Stroke continues to be a primary cause of death and disability which mainly affects patients who have high blood pressure. The research set out to determine how often strokes occur together with their associated clinical risk factors in this specific patient group.

Methods: Our research applied a quantitative method to perform a cross-sectional study which included 1,024 patients who had hypertension. Our research team conducted an analysis of 15 variables which included numerical data about patient age and their blood pressure readings and cholesterol measurements and categorical data about their gender and their heart disease status. Our research team conducted statistical analyses to identify which factors most strongly predicted the development of stroke in our patient population. Variables significant only in univariate analysis (p<0.05) but not retained after adjustment are displayed in the Univariate‑only section. ORs are plotted on a logarithmic scale, follows conventions consistent with Stata 17, data analysis through descriptive statistics and machine learning approaches while using Python and Excel as their main software applications.

Results: Our research findings demonstrated that 25% of patients with hypertension developed strokes while age emerged as the most critical factor which increased stroke risk. The highest occurrence of 45% appeared in patients who were 70 years old or older. The research showed that glucose levels above 126 mg/dL together with obesity defined by a BMI of 30 kg/m² or higher served as important predictive factors which achieved statistical significance through p-values of 0.002 and 0.01. The presence of heart disease was also linked to increased stroke risk (p 0.001), emphasizing the need for comprehensive assessments in this demographic.

Conclusion: The research findings reveal an urgent requirement for focused treatment programs which target adjustable risk elements including patient age and high blood sugar levels and excess body weight in people with hypertension. Our research shows that active control of these risk elements will lower the chance of stroke development which proves that patients need to follow specific lifestyle changes and maintain their health through scheduled checkups to achieve better results for their condition.