Although secondary prevention in patients with arterial vascular diseases has improved, a gap between recommendations and clinical practice may exist.
We aimed to evaluate temporal trends in the premorbid use of preventive treatments in patients with ischemic cerebrovascular events (ICVE) and prior vascular disease.
Patients with acute ICVE (ischemic stroke/TIA) were identified through the population-based stroke registry of Dijon, France (1985-2010). Only those with history of arterial vascular disease were included and were classified into four groups: patients with previous coronary artery disease only (CAD), previous peripheral artery disease only (PAD), previous ICVE only, and patients with at least two different past vascular diseases (polyvascular group). We assessed trends in the proportion of patients who were treated with antihypertensive treatments and antithrombotics at the time of their ICVE using multivariable logistic regression models.
Among the 5309 patients with acute ICVE, 2128 had a history of vascular disease (mean age 77.3±11.9, 51% men; 25.1% CAD 7.5% PAD, 39.8% ICVE, and 27.5% poylvascular). A total of 45.8% of them were on antithrombotics, 64.1% on antihypertensive treatment, and 34.4% on both. Compared with period 1985-1993, periods 1994-2002 and 2003-2010 were associated with a greater frequency of prior-to-ICVE use of antithrombotics (adjusted OR=5.94; 95% CI: 4.61-7.65, P<0.01, and adjusted OR=6.92; 95% CI: 5.33-8.98, P<0.01, respectively) but not of antihypertensive drugs. Consistent results were found when analyses were stratified according to the type of history of arterial vascular disease.
Patients with ICVE and previous vascular disease were still undertreated with recommended preventive therapies.