Background: Posterior circulation stroke is less common than stroke involving the anterior circulation. Posterior circulation stroke accounts for approximately 20% of all strokes with varied clinical presentation, which differ from strokes in anterior circulation, with reference to etiology, clinical features, and prognosis. Early diagnosis of stroke is essential so that appropriate preventive therapies may be instituted.

Materials & Methods: This observational study was carried out among 80 posterior stroke patients from June 2018 to Jan 2019 of all new patients admitted with stroke in Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College & Hospital, Baripada, Mayurbhanj, Odisha, India.

Results: The total number of posterior circulation stroke patient was 80, 10.05% of 796 total stroke patients, posterior circulation ischemic stroke in 12.68% of cases out of 481 ischemic stroke patients in our study. In our study, 76.25% patients had ischemic stroke and 23.75% patients had hemorrhagic stroke. Average age of patient in hemorrhagic stroke was 57.9 years and average age of patient in ischemic stroke was 61.0 years. Hypertension (72.50%) was the most common associated risk factor followed by dyslipidemia (48.75%) followed by tobacco chewing (32.50%). Motor involvement (72.5%) was commonest clinical feature among posterior circulation stroke followed by speech involvement (58.75%) and altered sensorium (48.75%).

Conclusions: There are very few studies on clinical profile and outcome in PCS we would need more studies solely on PCS elucidating particularly the causes and predictors of outcomes to help establish an appropriate management strategy for PCS.

Keywords: Cerebrovascular stroke, Ischemic stroke, Hemorrhagic stroke, Risk factors, Hypertension, Diabetes.

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Bibhu P. Behera

Assistant Professor in Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Saheed Laxman Naik Medical College & Hospital, Koraput, Odisha

Permanent Address: - Plot no: - 554/1970, Shreevihar, Patia, Chandrasekharpur, Bhubaneswar,

Khurda, Odisha, PIN- 751024, India