The study revealed that 44 percent of ischemic stroke patients had type 2 diabetes, compared with about a third of patients who did not have a stroke. Eight out of 10 patients with an ischemic stroke had hypertension, compared with 58 percent of patients who did not have a stroke.
A heart rhythm disorder, called atrial fibrillation, was found in 18 percent of patients with ischemic stroke and 9 percent of those without stroke, the study found.
Stroke patients spent an average of 22 days in the hospital, 12 days longer than non-stroke patients.
Deaths in the hospital were more than double among stroke patients (37 percent) than among non-stroke patients (16 percent).
Black patients made up 27 percent of COVID patients in the study, and 31 percent of ischemic stroke cases, according to the findings, which were presented Friday at a virtual meeting of the American Stroke Association ( American Stroke Association).
Research presented at meetings is generally considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
“As the pandemic continues, we find that the coronavirus is not just a respiratory disease, but also a vascular disease that can affect many organ systems,” Shakil said in a meeting press release.
More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has more information on COVID-19 .
