Offering a new way to treat stroke patients, researchers reported Wednesday that high doses of a cholesterol-lowering statin drug could reduce the risk of another attack and stroke-related death.
The statin Lipitor lowered the risk of another stroke by 16 percent and reduced fatal strokes by 40 percent, according to the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Stroke kills 160,000 Americans per year, making it the third leading cause of death in the U.S., behind heart disease and cancer. Two of five stroke patients have a second attack within five years.
“This is a clear demonstration of the benefits of taking a statin under these circumstances,” said Dr. Steven Nissen of the Cleveland Clinic, a cardiac specialist and statin researcher.
Dr. David Kent of Tufts-New England Medical Center in Boston said a daily dose of statins will now likely become standard care for certain classes of stroke patients.
The study, funded by Lipitor maker Pfizer Inc., showed the greatest benefits to patients who suffered strokes caused by clots or blockages that reduce blood flow to the brain, known as ischemic strokes, which account for 88 percent of all strokes.
But patients recovering from a less common form of stroke caused by bleeding in or near the brain, known as hemorrhagic strokes, did worse on Lipitor – a finding some experts said was cause for concern.
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