The incidence of stress hyperglycemia in acute ischemic stroke patients (in Al-Yarmouk teaching hospital)

Abstract

Aims: Stress hyperglycemia represents a transient increase in blood glucose in reaction to acute illness. Cases with stress hyperglycemia have higher mortality rates and worse functional outcomes than the ones with known diabetes or normoglycemia. This study evaluated the incidence of stress hyperglycemia in acute ischemic stroke patients and its relationship with stroke risk factors. Patients and Methods: WHO criteria is used to confirm hyperglycemia and HbA1c test to detect stress hyperglycemia in a sample of 220 patients with acute ischemic stroke who were admitted to Al-Yarmouk teaching hospital in Baghdad from 1 April to 31 December 2010. Results: thirty nine patients with acute ischemic stroke had stress hyperglycemia. There is significant effect of gender, hypertension, atrial fibrillation and dyslipidemia on patients with stress hyperglycemia while this is not found with obesity and smoking.Conclusions: stress hyperglycemia is a common phenomenon in patients who develop acute ischemic stroke.