Objective: To describe the prevalence and patterns of combining traditional medicine with modern medicine integration and compare their use among age groups in the outpatient treatment of post-acute ischemic stroke.
Methods: A retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using 700 outpatient visits of patients aged 18 years or older who were diagnosed with ischemic stroke or sequelae of ischemic stroke according to ICD-10 codes I63.x and I69.3. Data were collected at University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City, campus 3 and Ho Chi Minh city Traditional Medicine Hospital between 2024 and 2025.
Results: Male patients accounted for 51.4% of the visits; and at least one comorbidity was documented in 94.6%. The utilization rates of modern medicine and traditional medicine were 93.6% and 70.3%, respectively. Traditional medicine and modern medicine were integrated in 64.4% of outpatient visits, with the concurrent use of traditional medicine and modern medicine medications being the most common pattern (47.6%). The prevalence of combined traditional medicine and modern medicine medication use differed significantly among age groups (p = 0.024).
Conclusion: Traditional medicine and modern medicine were frequently integrated in the outpatient treatment of post-acute ischemic stroke, primarily through the concurrent use of medications from both medical systems. Further prospective and interventional studies are needed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness, safety, and potential interactions associated with this integrative approach.