Triple therapy reduces severity of stroke

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Patients on aspirin, cholesterol and blood pressure-lowering drugs have less severe strokes, according to a new study.
It is already known that taking aspirin and cholesterol and blood pressure-lowering drugs reduces an individual's risk of having a stroke. Now a study from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston reveals that these drugs also reduce the severity of stroke, should one occur.

They looked at a group of 179 people who came to hospital within 24 hours of a stroke. The group was divided according to what preventive drugs they were on. Although the amount of initial brain damage proved to be about equal, the number of brain cells that were still at risk of damage at the time of admission to hospital was smaller among those taking all three drugs - aspirin, cholesterol and blood pressure-lowering medication. For a stroke cuts off the blood supply to the brain, putting cells at risk of damage. Protecting these cells is crucial to limiting the amount of damage the stroke does.

On discharge from hospital, 65 per cent of patients who were taking all three drugs showed neurological improvement. This compared to 45 per cent of those on aspirin and blood pressure drugs and 43 per cent of those on aspirin and cholesterol drugs. 38 per cent of those on aspirin alone showed improvement and just 33 per cent of those on no drugs. The findings show the benefit of taking drugs to reduce stroke risk factors. Even if the person has a stroke, this seems to be less severe.

Source
Neurology 25th April 2006

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