Yale Bulletin and Calendar

March 31, 2006|Volume 34, Number 24

Cholesterol-lowering drugs shown
to reduce mortality during stroke

Patients given lipid-lowering agents (LLAs) during an ischemic stroke have a considerably higher survival rate than patients who do not use the cholesterol-reducing drugs, according to recent research by School of Medicine investigators.

Led by Norrina B. Allen, a graduate student in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health (EPH), the study was presented recently at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference.

The research showed that those given LLAs, primarily of the statin class, within 48 hours of their stroke had a 1% mortality rate in the hospital, compared to the 5.3% rate for patients who were not given this treatment. Statins are drugs that inhibit cholesterol production in the liver.

Allen and her co-authors reviewed the University Health System Consortium Ischemic Stroke Benchmarking Project, which included data from the hospital charts of 1,256 stroke patients who were treated from January to June 2004 at 32 academic hospitals. They studied deaths in the hospital occurring over 48 hours after hospital admission and also examined the outcomes for patients who were discharged from the hospital.

"This study suggests an interesting association between LLAs and mortality that needs to be investigated further," says Allen. "These findings may provide insights into potential opportunities for acute stroke treatment."

Ischemic strokes account for over 80% of all strokes and occur when blood vessels to the brain become narrowed or clogged, cutting off blood flow to brain cells.

Allen says further studies are needed to fully understand the relationship between the use of statins during acute ischemic stroke and in-hospital mortality.

Other researchers included the late Dr. Lawrence M. Brass, Julie Cerese, Jackie Dostal, Joanne Cuny and Judith H. Lichtman.

-- By Karen Peart

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