Risk Factors for Cerebral Hemorrhage in the Era of Well-Controlled Hypertension

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Abstract
Background and Purpose Given that hypertension is now relatively well controlled and use of antiplatelet agents has increased, our primary aims were to investigate the risk of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) associated with hypertension and use of antiplatelet agents. Methods In this city-wide case-control study, 370 consecutive cases of primary ICH, verified by CT or autopsy, were identified from one of 13 Melbourne hospitals. Ten subjects (or their next of kin) could not be located and 29 refused to participate, resulting in 331 eventual cases. Patients were aged between 18 and 80 years and had no prior stroke. Population-based control subjects were individually age- (±5 years), sex-, and geographically matched to subject cases. A questionnaire administered to participants (or next of kin) elicited information about prior exposure to various potential risk factors. Results Hypertension approximately doubled the risk of ICH (odds ratio, 2.55; 95% confidence interval, 1.72 to 3.79). The use of aspirinlike ...