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영어

Background: Previous studies in Korea have investigated the impact of cardiovascular risk factors on the occurrence of ischemic stroke, but research examining the post-occurrence effects remains scarce. Therefore, we aimed to identify differences in medical costs for patients with ischemic stroke based on the presence or absence of cardiovascular risk factors. Methods: This retrospective cohort study utilized data from the National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort. Patients with ischemic stroke were categorized based on the presence of cardiovascular risk factors—dyslipidemia, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes—to assess differences in total healthcare costs. Analysis included monthly average medical costs during the entire observation period following the first occurrence of ischemic stroke. Additionally, generalized linear modeling was employed to identify factors influencing medical costs and to assess the extent of their impact. Results: A total of 4,176 patients with ischemic stroke were identified, including 703 patients with dyslipidemia, 968 with type 2 diabetes, and 2,123 with hypertension. The monthly medical costs per patient with type 2 diabetes were \830K (thousand), and per patient without type 2 diabetes were \720K. The analysis using generalized linear modeling revealed that patients with diabetes tended to incur approximately 15% higher costs compared to patients without type 2 diabetes. Conclusion: Ischemic stroke patients with type 2 diabetes experienced increased healthcare utilization and costs. Effective management of type 2 diabetes is particularly crucial for patients with ischemic stroke, emphasizing the importance of prevention and management of this condition.