Incidence of First Time Stroke: A Saudi Experience.

Background: Stroke is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. A number of studies were conducted in Saudi Arabia. However, there were no studies conducted in Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah city.

Objective: The aim of this study was to ascertain the incidence rate of first time stroke and the age-specific incidence in both genders in Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah city.

Methods: A prospective hospital based study was conducted over a 1-year period (2014). The cases were included in the study when they were admitted with a diagnosis of cerebrovascular accident.

Results: A total 164 patients (91 men and 73 women) who had first time stroke were found in this study with no significant difference between them (p = 0.565). The crude incidence rate of stroke was 13.89 per 100,000 persons. The age-specific incidence rate increased with age in the current study, where the peak was in the age group of more than 75 years old for men and women.

Conclusions: Total crude and the age-specific rates for first time stroke patients revealed in this study were markedly lower than the range reported from the developed countries. However, they were within the range that showed previously in Saudi Arabia and Arabian Peninsula countries.