Study design and study population
stroke, comorbidity
STROKE, SECONDARY, RECURRENCE
This study was carried out as a subanalysis from an open, randomized, controlled trial conducted at Sørlandet Hospital Arendal, Norway in the period 2007–2022. The main study was focused on comparison of secondary cardiovascular prevention within primary health care and within hospital-based follow-up, and primary outcomes were all-cause mortality and composite endpoint consisting of all-cause mortality, recurrence of non-fatal MI, new PCI/CABG, and non-fatal stroke. Secondary outcomes were achievement of secondary preventive treatment targets.Consecutive patients, aged 18 to 80 years, admitted to the hospital between 2007 and 2017 with a diagnosis of MI or after scheduled PCI/CABG, were randomized to hospital-based follow-up or to follow-up within primary health care, and written informed consent was obtained from each participant. The exclusion criteria were as follows: lack of ability to cooperate, known alcohol- or drug-abuse, use of narcotics, pregnancy or breast-feeding, serious comorbidity with a life expectancy less than two years, or participation in other secondary prevention studies. Only patients with a minimum of 12 months of follow-up were included in the analysis. The trial was carried out in compliance with Declaration of Helsinki. The study design and main study results have been described previously [