Any type of stroke may cause varying degrees of damage to the brain. The cause of the stroke and the location of a blocked or clogged artery also has a great deal to do with the damage caused by a transient or brief stroke episode and an acute ischemic stroke, which may last longer and cause serious damage and paralysis. Statin therapy is often initiated immediately following a stroke to aid in recovery.
Definition
An acute ischemic stroke causes loss of blood flow to a certain part of the brain, depending on the location of the blockage. Blockage in blood vessels in the brain prevents oxygenated blood from reaching specific areas. Ischemic strokes are often caused by condition such as high levels of cholesterol in the blood that lead to atherosclerosis or clogged arteries, or by fatty deposits called atheroma that float through vessels and often block off an entire artery or vein.
Statin Drugs
Statin drugs, also called HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, are designed to restrict or inhibit the formation of cholesterol in the blood. SPARCL is one such statin drug used to reduce the risk of ischemic stroke in cardiovascular patients. Other common statin drugs include Lipitor, Zocor and Altace, often used to reduce cholesterol in patients who have genetically high levels of cholesterol and those working to complete lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise to help lower cholesterol levels.
Therapy
Treatment with statin drugs before the development of an acute ischemic stroke may reduce the severity of the stroke, according to research study results released to the International Archives of Medicine. Pretreatment through statin therapy was determined to reduce the severity of the stroke and result in a better outcome for the patient at risk of acute ischemic stroke. Statin therapy may be offered in low, moderate and intensive doses, depending on your condition and recommendation of your doctor.
Benefits
While common statin drug therapies may reduce the risk of acute ischemic stroke for high risk-patients already diagnosed with cardiac conditions or high cholesterol, studies have shown that statin therapy may also decrease the risk of hemorrhagic strokes caused by bleeding in the brain. Cardiovascular events such as hemorrhagic strokes are known as transient ischemic strokes caused by the bursting of weakened blood vessels or burst aneurysms.
References
- "Intensive Statin Therapy After Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack A Sparcling Success? Bruce Ovbiagele, M"; Stroke Center and Department of Neurology, University of California at Los Angeles; D; Jeffrey L. Saver, MD; 2006
- Cedars-Sinai: Acute Ischemic Stroke
- Medical University of South Carolina; Statin Therapy
- "Statins and clinical outcome of acute ischemic stroke: a systematic review"; Lakhan, S., Bagchi, S., Hofer, M.; 2010
- "Impact of Statins on Risk of Stroke: A Meta-Analysis"; Nickole N Henyan, PharmD. et.al; 2007
- StrokeAssociation.org; Types of Strokes
