Recognition of Warning Signs by the Patient with Ischemic Stroke and Impact on Emergency Department Admission Times

Abstract

The general objective of this study was to assess the impact of the recognition of warning, signs of ischemic stroke, on the reduction of emergency admission times and the improvement of the prognosis of the patient suffering from ischemic stroke in the emergency department of the Yaounde central hospital. Methods: This was a prospective study with a descriptive and analytical aim carried out in the medical emergency department of the central hospital of Yaounde over a period of 3 months, going from October to December 2020. All patients admitted to emergency departement, during this period, for a diagnosis of ischemic stroke confirmed by a brain CT scan were included in the study. The data was collected on a survey sheet divided into 3 sections: the patient, the assessment of his knowledge and his reaction to the stroke. The variables studied were socio-demographic data, cardiovascular risk factors and warning signs of stroke. Data analysis was conducted with Census and Survey Processing System (CSPRO). Results: During the study period, 62 patients met the inclusion criteria. Adults under 50 (41.94%) were the most represented age group. The mean age of the patients was 52.3 years with ranges ranging from 36 to 82 years. The sex ratio was 1.38 in favor of women. The most common unmodifiable cardiovascular risk factor was age over 55 years 44%. High blood pressure 61% was the most common modifiable risk factor. More than half of the study population had no knowledge of How to cite this paper: