Stroke patients who stop taking cholesterol-lowering drugs after being hospitalized for a stroke are at greater risk of death within three months, according to a study published in Neurology.
Study author Dr. Jos锟� Castillo of the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, says many patients stop taking statins because of the drugs' side effects, which can include stomach problems.
But those who stop the cholesterol-lowering drugs after a stroke are 4.7 times more likely to die or be dependent on others for their care three months after the stroke, his small study found.
"This study clearly shows the benefits of continuing statin use," he said.
The study involved 89 people who were already taking statins when they had a stroke. For the first three days after being admitted to the hospital, 46 of the people received no statin drugs and 43 received the drugs.
After three months, 27 people, or 60 per cent, of the group that received no statins had either died or were disabled to the point that they could not complete their daily activities independently. That compared to just 16 people, or 39 per cent, of the group that kept taking statins.
Statins appear to do more than reduce cholesterol. They also reduce inflammation and help keep the blood from clotting, which can cause stroke. The drugs also increase the release of cell-protecting nitric oxide from the tissue lining artery walls.
Previous studies have also shown that patients taking statins at the time of a stroke have less severe strokes than those who aren't taking the drugs.
