INTRACEREBRAL HEMORRHAGE IN BLACKS - RISK-FACTORS, SUBTYPES, AND OUTCOME

Background and Purpose Blacks are at a higher risk for intracerebral h emorrhage (ICH) than whites; however, few data are available regarding the demographic and clinical characteristics of ICH among blacks. Met hods We determined the frequency of risk factors, etiologic subtypes, and outcome among consecutive black patients admitted with nontraumati c ICH to a university affiliated public hospital. Results The most com mon risk factors in the 403 black patients with ICH were preexisting h ypertension (77%), alcohol use (40%), and smoking (30%). Among the 91 nonhypertensive patients, 21 (23%) were diagnosed with hypertension af ter onset. Compared with women, men had a younger age of onset (54 ver sus 60 years; P<.001) and higher frequency of alcohol use (54% versus 22%; P<.001) and smoking (39% versus 17%; P<.001). ICH secondary to hy pertension (n=311) and of undetermined etiology (n=73) were the most c ommon subtypes in blacks. Patients aged 65 years and older (compared w ith those aged 15 to 44 years; P=.001) and women (compared with men; P =.02) were more likely to be dependent at discharge.Conclusions Primar y preventive strategies are required to reduce the high frequency of m odifiable risk factors predisposing to ICH in blacks.