Age- and Sex-Specific Distribution of Vascular and Behavioural Risk Factors Among Patients With Acute Ischaemic Stroke: A Hospital-Based Study From North India

BackgroundStroke is a leading cause of mortality and disability worldwide, with a disproportionately high burden in low-and middle-income countries like India.Age-and sex-stratified data on vascular and behavioural risk factors remain limited. ObjectiveTo describe the prevalence of vascular and behavioural risk factors among patients with acute ischaemic stroke and to compare their distribution across age groups and sex in a tertiary-care hospital in North India. MethodsThis hospital-based cross-sectional study enrolled 345 imaging-confirmed acute ischaemic stroke patients.Eight major vascular and behavioural risk factors, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia, previous stroke/transient ischaemic attack (TIA), heart diseases (coronary artery disease (CAD)/rheumatic heart disease (RHD)), atrial fibrillation, alcohol, and smoking, were evaluated using objective, pre-defined, or guideline-defined criteria and self-reported questions.These risk factors were then compared across three age groups, including young stroke (18-45 years), middle-aged (46-80 years), and elderly (>80 years), and among males and females. ResultsThe mean age was 65.64 ± 15.59 years (57.4% male participants).Overall, 93.9% had at least one recorded vascular or behavioural risk factor for stroke.Dyslipidaemia (56.2%), hypertension (55.4%), and diabetes mellitus (55.1%) were the most prevalent risk factors.Hypertension and dyslipidaemia increased significantly with age (p<0.001,p<0.001), while CAD/RHD and atrial fibrillation demonstrated a non-linear age-group distribution (p=0.003,p=0.004, respectively).Diabetes mellitus showed a non-significant increasing trend across age groups (p=0.053).Hypertension, dyslipidaemia, previous stroke/TIA, atrial fibrillation, and smoking were significantly more prevalent among males, whereas RHD was more prevalent in females (15.0% vs. 6.1%, p=0.010).The combined CAD/RHD category (50.3% vs. 38.9%,p=0.044) was more prevalent among females, while CAD alone did not differ significantly by sex.Diabetes mellitus and alcohol consumption were similar between males and females. ConclusionThis study found a high burden of vascular and behavioural risk factors among stroke patients in North India.The distinct age and sex distribution of these risk factors may inform the design of tailored stroke prevention programmes, which should be tested in prospective, community-based studies.