Abstract
Purpose : Cerebrovascular disease is the most frequent cause of death in Korea and it remains severe disabilities disturbing normal life, According to the previous studies, mortality of the stroke in the first one week is up to the 20% and 95% of stroke patients in the acute stage are accompanied by more than one complications. These complications affect not only the acute stage mortality but also the late stage rehabilitations. In Korea the oriental medicine is preformed in the treatment of stroke. Therefore it is important to recognize thoroughly the complications in the acute stage of stroke and to prevent them. But studies about complications of acute stage stroke is rarely presented in the fields of oriental medicine. So this study is prepared for investigating the characteristics and frequency of complications in the acute stage of stroke. And we are to assess the importance of theses acute complications by systemic reviewing the previous studies. Methods : Fifty one patients are included who had been admitted to ICU(intensive care unit) of Chenju Hospital of Wonkwang Oriental Medicine. Twenty nine patients are diagnosed as ischemic stroke and twenty one patients are diagnosed hemorrhagic stroke. Medical and neurological complications were investigated retrospectively based on medical notes excluding primary symptoms of stroke Le. motor weakness, sensory disturbance and speech disorder. And risk factors of stroke such as D.M. or hypertension are excluded. Results : Medical complications are more frequent than neurological ones. Most frequent medical complication is dysuria(61%) and constipation(45%), fever(30%) and aspiration pneumonia(22%) are followed in order of frequency. In Neurological complication dysphagia(56%), the exacerbation of infarction due to increased intracranial pressure(24%), irritability or insomnia(21%) is most frequently complicated in order of frequency. Conclusions : These complications are mostly caused by bed rest state in acute stage stroke. It is supposed that more aggressive management can prevent theses ones. And it is possible to improve the medical and neurological conditions by sticking theses study results.