Pioglitazone protects against secondary stroke

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

The diabetes drug pioglitazone reduces the risk of recurrent stroke by nearly half.
Patients with type 2 diabetes are at risk of complications like stroke. But a new study shows that the drug pioglitazone, which is used to treat diabetes, can be used to protect patients from recurrent stroke.

The new report comes from the PROactive study, which looks at the impact of taking pioglitazone on stroke and other complications among high risk patients with type 2 diabetes with and without prior stroke. Analysis of data from over 5,000 patients showed that there was particular benefit for those at risk of recurrent stroke. Pioglitazone reduced the risk by 47 per cent, and of death, heart attack or stroke by 28 per cent. This is encouraging news for stroke survivors, for it shows the benefit of keeping diabetes under control with pioglitazone.

Source
World Congress of Cardiology 5th September 2006