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Statins may help prevent recurring stroke

Category: General Health

People who take statins after a stroke may have a lower risk of a second one, according to research published in the journal Neurology.

"It's possible that effects from the drugs that are separate from their cholesterol-lowering effects are responsible for this result," said study author Dr Sotirios Giannopoulos of the University of Ioannina School of Medicine in Greece. "Statins have anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects and also prevent blood clotting and stabilize plaque in the arteries, so one of these mechanisms may help to prevent recurrent stroke."

The study involved 794 people who had strokes and for whom the researchers had access to health information for the 10 years after the stroke. During that time, 112 people had a second stroke, and the chances of having one were about half as much for statin users as non-statin users.

Examining the medical records, the researchers analyzed various risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and heart problems but found the strongest factor that reduced risk was the use of statins.

How the statins were exerting their effect remains a question the researchers wish to investigate in the future.