Stroke.

ABSTRACT

In 2012, about 50,000 Australians had a stroke (cerebrovascular accident (CVA)). The risk of stroke is associated with increased age, previous stroke or transient ischaemic attack, hypertension, smoking, diabetes mellitus (DM), hypercholesterolaemia and atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF). Australian general practice data from the national BEACH program between April 2000 and March 2013 inclusive (1,276,200 GP-patient encounters) were analysed to determine the patient characteristics, associated conditions and management options at those encounters where a CVA was recorded, and detect changes in the annual management rates of CVA, AF, lipid disorders (LD), DM and hypertension.