There is evidence that statin therapy in patients with a history of ischaemic stroke or TIA significantly reduces subsequent major coronary events but only marginally reduces the risk of stroke recurrence .
There is no clear evidence of beneficial effect from statins in those with previous haemorrhagic stroke and it is unclear whether statins should be started immediately post stroke or later .
BACKGROUND Studies have shown that interventions which reduce total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels also reduce coronary heart disease ( CHD ) and stroke events in those with a history of CHD .
However , it is uncertain whether treatment to alter cholesterol levels can prevent recurrence of either stroke or subsequent cardiovascular events and whether differences in outcomes exist between classes of lipid-lowering therapy .
This is an up date of a Cochrane review first published in 2002 .
OBJECTIVES To investigate the effect of altering serum lipids pharmacologically for preventing subsequent cardiovascular disease and stroke recurrence in patients with a history of stroke .
Italian multicenter study on reversible cerebral ischemic attacks: VI--Prognostic factors and follow-up results.
A total of 462 patients ( mean age 52 years ) affected by reversible focal ischemic attacks ( RIAs ) were followed prospect ively in 8 neurologic institutions in Italy for 4 years . All cases were evaluated with a cerebral angiography and 21 % of angiograms were normal . At the end of the follow-up period the cumulated probability for death , stroke , cardiac event and new RIA was respectively 7 % , 8 % , 3 % and 36 % . The predictive value of the baseline characteristics of this series was evaluated by a multifactorial analysis which showed that RIA and stroke ( specific cerebrovascular risk ) were more likely to develop in patients with a history of more than one RIA and in those in whom multiple vascular territories were involved . Moreover , previous myocardial infa rct ion , intermittent claudication , angina pectoris , time elapsed since the first attack , and duration and severity of the attack itself were independently associated with general cardiovascular risk ( death , stroke and myocardial infa rct ion ) . We conclude that predictive factors , and thus also pathogenetic mechanisms , may be different for general cardiovascular risk and specific cerebrovascular risk in RIA patients
There is evidence that statin therapy in patients with a history of ischaemic stroke or TIA significantly reduces subsequent major coronary events but only marginally reduces the risk of stroke recurrence .
There is no clear evidence of beneficial effect from statins in those with previous haemorrhagic stroke and it is unclear whether statins should be started immediately post stroke or later .
BACKGROUND Studies have shown that interventions which reduce total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels also reduce coronary heart disease ( CHD ) and stroke events in those with a history of CHD .
However , it is uncertain whether treatment to alter cholesterol levels can prevent recurrence of either stroke or subsequent cardiovascular events and whether differences in outcomes exist between classes of lipid-lowering therapy .
This is an up date of a Cochrane review first published in 2002 .
OBJECTIVES To investigate the effect of altering serum lipids pharmacologically for preventing subsequent cardiovascular disease and stroke recurrence in patients with a history of stroke .