Risk factort of stroke and hypertension were analyzed using stroke registry data in Akita and a mass screening examination in the community. Hypertension, smoking, drinking and obesity were the assumed risk factors for stroke subtypes in both sexes. Hypertension in both sexes and smoking as well as drinking in females showed significantly high odds ratios for cerebral hemorrhage (CH), cerebral infarction (CI) and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). In males, high odds ratios were shown with drinking for CH and smoking for CI, and while that for smoking and CH was low. While females with smoking and/or drinking habits were very few in Akita, those that had these habits had a higher tendency for experiencing stroke. The life style of these females may resemble that of males.
Groups with drinking and/or obesity showed higher blood pressures than controls no smoking, no drinking and no obesity. However, blood pressure in the group with smoking were lower than the controls for both males and females. The relative risk for CH in males who smoke was 0.7. The effect of decreasing blood pressure with smoking may be associated with this low relative risk for CH. On the other hand, smoking increased the occurrence of CI. Hypertension appears to be the strongest risk factor for stroke and the control of smoking, drinking and obesity in the community would be very important in the strategy for prevention of stroke and hypertension.
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