Background and purpose: Stroke is a common neurologic disorder and it is the third leading cause of mortality worldwide after ischaemic heart disease and cancer. The purpose of this study was to determine the prognosis of acute stroke in Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (FETHA) South-East Nigeria.
Methods: It was a retrospective, descriptive and hospital based study conducted in a tertiary health centre in Abakaliki south-east Nigeria. The stroke register of the neurology unit was reviewed and relevant data were extracted and analyzed.
Results: Stroke accounted for 12% of medical death with 24hour, 7day and 30day mortality rate of 5%, 10% and 15% respectively. Factors associated with mortality include advanced age, female sex, extremes of blood pressure, loss of consciousness and haemorrhagic stroke.
Conclusions: Stroke accounted for significant proportion of medical deaths and its mortality was highest within the first 24hrs post ictus though lower than most hospital based studies. There should be regular health education with emphasis on primary prevention. Also, stroke patients should be referred early to a stroke unit for adequate management
Keywords: Abakaliki, Mortality, Nigeria, South-East, Stroke
