Statins and Stroke: A Promising Approach Towards Stroke Prevention

Journal of Clinical and Basic Cardiology 2002; 5 (2): 159-162

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Keywords: Behandlung,  Prävention,  Schlaganfall,  Statin,  zerebrovaskuläre Erkrankung,  cerebrovascular disease,  prevention,  Statin,  stroke,  treatment

Stroke is a growing global health burden. Mortality is declining in most of the Western countries but incidence rates do not show a parallel decline. In East European countries both mortality and incidence are on the rise. In developing countries stroke has been emerging as a major disease. Measures to prevent first-ever or recurrent strokes therefore have a large, world-wide impact on health and economy. One of the most effective and promising agents are statins that seem to be effective also in many patients with normal lipids. Atherothrombotic strokes account for approximately half of all strokes and are probably effectively treated with statins especially when additional risks are present such as coronary heart disease or diabetes. In spite of a substantial risk reduction with statins there is at present only sufficient evidence to recommend statins for those stroke patients that have additional vascular risks including diabetes or hyperlipidaemia.