Hematocrit level in patients with stroke or ischemic heart disease,Khorasan, 2002-2003

Introduction: Elevated hematocrit is associated with high blood viscosity and could lead to vascular thrombosis. The purpose of this study is to compare hematocit of ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction patients. Methods: All of the patients with ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction (MI) admitted in Vali-e-asr Hospital, Khorasan during 2002-2003 enrolled in this descriptive analytical study. Diagnosis of ischemic stroke and MI was made by neurologists and cardiologists. HCT was calculated with computerized complete blood count. T test and Chi-Square test were used for analysis and p<0.05 was declared as significant. Results: 208 stroke patients and 306 MI patients were investigated. Elevated HCT was found in 9.5% of females with stroke and 9.8% of females with MI without a significant difference. Elevated hematocrit was also found in 5.4% of males with stroke and 7.1% of males with MI. Comparing mean HCT of females and males between stroke and MI groups did not reveal significant differences. Conclusion: Case control and cohort studies are recommended for evaluation of elevated HCT as a risk factor of ischemic stroke and MI