Blood pressure changes during the initial week after different subtypes of ischemic stroke

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE - The purpose of this study was to clarify the differences in the acute blood pressure course among different ischemic stroke subtypes. METHODS - We divided 588 consecutive patients with acute brain infarction into four clinical subgroups to study the blood pressure levels during the initial 6 hospital days. RESULTS - During the 6 days, systolic blood pressure of lacunar and atherothrombotic patients was higher (P=0.0001) and diastolic blood pressure of lacunar patients was higher (P=0.0371) than of patients with the other subtypes. Preexisting hypertension was associated with elevated acute systolic blood pressure in all patients and in each subtype and with elevated acute diastolic blood pressure in all patients, cardioembolic patients, and patients with stroke of other etiology. After adjustment by preexisting hypertension, diabetes mellitus with a hemoglobin A1c >7.0% was associated with elevated systolic blood pressure in all, lacunar, and cardioembolic patients and with diastolic blood pressure in all patients. CONCLUSIONS - Blood pressure course of patients sustaining acute stroke varied widely according to stroke subtypes. Poorly controlled diabetes mellitus, as well as preexisting hypertension, appeared to influence blood pressure during the initial week of stroke.