Ischaemic stroke in Jordan: a 2-year hospital-based study of subtypes and risk factors.

A retrospective study was made of 200 consecutive patients with first-ever ischaemic stroke, admitted to Jordan University Hospital over a 2-year period. The mean age was 61.2 years (range 29-95). The most common stroke subtype was lacunar infarct (51.5%), but frequency of cardioembolic stroke was low (8.0%). Hypertension, diabetes mellitus and smoking were the most common risk factors for atherosclerotic non-cardioembolic stroke. Chronic atrial fibrillation was the most common risk factor for cardioembolic stroke. No patient had severe extracranial carotid or vertebral artery stenosis (> 50% narrowing). Lacunar strokes presented predominantly as pure motor stroke (67/103) and were mainly in the internal capsule (34/ 103). The favourable outcome (85% discharged home) may be due to the relatively young age and the predominance of lacunar infarcts.