Introduction: Stroke is a major cause of death with hypertension being identified as an important modifiable risk factor. Prompt identification of stroke symptoms and timely management is noted to be significant in lowering both morbidity and mortality. Baseline stroke knowledge in hypertensive patients is crucial to develop effectively targeted, and appropriate health promotion campaigns; thus, the main objectives of this study are to assess the awareness of stroke and to determine health-seeking practices among hypertensive patients. Materials and methods: A standardized questionnaire survey regarding awareness and practices about stroke among hypertensive patients was conducted in a tertiary care hospital of Islamabad. The sample size was calculated as 384. Results: Out of 384 patients evaluated, 80.5% had heard about stroke, 71.6% knew someone with stroke, and 76% identified the brain as the organ affected. Sudden onset numbness of limb (66.9%) and hypertension (93.5%) were common warning symptom and risk factor identified. 87.5% would take stroke patients to a hospital. Only 45.1% of the patients took their medications regularly, and 38% checked their blood pressure. Conclusion: Majority of hypertensive patients were aware of stroke but the awareness of risk factors and warning signs was poor. Stroke prevention practices were also sub-optimal. There is a need to increase knowledge regarding risk factors, which will benefit the community at large.

BackgroundA principal caregiver (CG) is directly affected by patient’s health problems that lead to CG strain. Pakistan has an estimated 4.8% of the population suffering from strokes. The study objective was to evaluate the caregiver level of stress and the factors which make CGs more prone to stress and also to identify the predictive role of factors such as age, sex, educational, marital status on their burden.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional survey. 112 Participants were chosen on the basis of being directly involved in the care of patient and able to give consent for the study. Stroke patients had to have a more than 1 month history of stroke and treated in a tertiary care hospital. The severity of stress was rated using the Modified Caregiver Strain Index (MCSI).ResultsOut of a total of 112 stroke patients and their caregivers, 12 were exempted. Most of the CGs were between the ages 30–39 (48%) and male (70%). Out of the males, most were sons (89%). None of the female CGs was employed. The mean MCSI score was 13.8. Gender, age, marital status, and duration of care all did not have a significant effect on the total (P = 0.640, 0.848, 0.839, 0.110 respectively). Female gender (P = 0.0075) was a factor leading to increased emotional adjustments. Single CGs had increased changes in personal plans (P = 0.014), and married CGs found the behaviour of the patients less upsetting (P = 0.0425). There was no significant difference between the total (P = 0.906) or individual components between daughters and daughter-in-laws. Increased duration of care was significantly associated with decrease level of sleep disturbance (P = 0.026), physical strain (P = 0.050) and other demands on time (P = 0.044). Increase age of CG was associated with an increase feeling of being overwhelmed (P = 0.027).ConclusionThere is a need to identify the factors responsible for major CG stress by conducting similar studies and to define structured intervention for evaluating and preventing problems of caregivers.

BackgroundCerebral microbleeds are small, round hypointensities of <10 mm in diameter, evident on T2* gradient-recall echo (GRE) or susceptibility-weighted (SWI) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences.

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