Geodemographic mapping of stroke in Recife

This study delineates demographic maps of stroke in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. Methods: Data of patients from Recife with stroke treated at a tertiary, specialist hospital, which is part of the Brazilian Unified Health System, during the period from December 2011 to June 2014, underwent epidemiological characterization and demographic mapping. Results: Patients from Recife accounted for 20.6% of the visits to the unit. Data from 148 patients were analyzed. Stroke was predominant in patients over 60 years of age, in women, and in the presence of risk factors. In total, only 11.9% of patients were admitted within the acute therapeutic window. The percentage was 9% for ischemic stroke and 27.8% for hemorrhagic stroke. The cases of hemorrhagic stroke exceeded those of ischemic stroke 3-fold, and the young adult population was admitted earlier when compared to older age groups. Although it was less frequent than ischemic stroke, in patients from Recife, hemorrhagic stroke was responsible for almost two thirds of deaths. More than half of the patients treated with ischemic stroke had a history of prior stroke (69.6%). Political-Administrative Regions 4, 5, and 6 had the highest frequencies of stroke. Conclusions: Only part of patients treated were from the municipality where the unit is located, and, in this context, the Hospital Pelópidas Silveira primarily serves the South, West, and Southwest regions of Recife. Optimizing referral flows and implementing strategies to expedite the care of patients within the therapeutic window are necessary. In order to make the most of the unit’s tertiary, specialized characteristics, the implementation of district-based registration of users and electronic cerebrovascular medical records can ensure completeness of information about stroke, in addition to organized attitudes for primary and secondary prevention and rational referral/counter-referral