Statins reduce risk of the deadliest type of stroke, study finds

CNN
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Doctors know that drugs called statins reduce the risk of stroke. clot. However, new research It shows that inexpensive drugs can also reduce the risk of a first stroke, the result of the most deadly type of intracerebral hemorrhage.

Ann intracerebral hemorrhage That’s when the blood from the artery suddenly starts bleeding into the brain. This, called ischemic stroke, is his second most common cause of stroke after blood clots.

Stroke is the leading cause of death and disability in the United States, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Say. Many can be prevented with lifestyle changes such as eating a healthy diet, exercising, and quitting smoking.

Statins are another powerful tool for stroke prevention. They work by reducing fatty deposits in arteries and preventing them from accumulating and blocking blood to the brain. World wide, Hundreds of millions of people take it to prevent heart disease and stroke.

There are conflicting studies on whether statins can reduce the risk of first intracerebral hemorrhage. A new study published Wednesday in the journal Neurology seems to put an end to some of that debate.

Researchers used prescription data and health records of more than 88,000 people in Denmark with no history of stroke. During the study period, 989 (mean age, 76 years) had a first hemorrhagic stroke in a lobar region and 1,175 (mean age, 75 years) had a hemorrhagic stroke in other parts of the brain.

Researchers were able to distinguish between lobar and non-lobar strokes to look for differences in stroke in different parts of the brain. Nonlobar strokes are often caused by high blood pressure.

This research was partially funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. Pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk manufactures pharmaceuticals. Although it was for the treatment of stroke, the foundation was not involved in the design of the study or interpretation of the data, researchers say.

Study participants who used statins for a period of time had a 17% lower risk of lobar stroke and a 16% lower risk of nonlobar stroke. Over 5 years of statin use was associated with a 33% lower risk of hemorrhagic stroke in lobar areas and a 38% lower risk in non-lobar areas.

“For people taking statins, the encouraging news is that these drugs appear to reduce the risk of hemorrhagic stroke and the risk of thrombotic stroke,” Odense said.

However, this study has some limitations. Data were lacking on potentially important underlying conditions that could cause stroke and other information on behaviors that might increase a person’s risk, such as smoking and alcohol use. Additional studies are also needed to determine whether results are the same in non-European populations.

a large-scale ongoing trials A research team funded by the National Institutes of Health is trying to determine whether people taking statins who have been hospitalized for a hemorrhagic stroke should continue to use statins or stop taking them.

Some studies suggest that taking statins may increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke in people who have had a stroke caused by a blood clot, called ischemic stroke.

“There were these small, exploratory studies away from randomized trials that suggested that having a history of ischemic stroke might increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke. It drove me crazy,” said Dr. Pooja Khatri. Professor Director of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine. She regularly works with people who have had strokes and are not involved in new research.

She said the study shows that it makes biological sense. becomes lower.

“Studies like this latest study are like driving nails into the coffin because they are larger, so comprehensive and population-based. , tells us that statins are definitely a good idea if indicated.