A new study showed that statin drugs, which are commonly used in order to reduce high levels of bad cholesterol in the blood, are also extremely beneficial against second stroke. People who have already suffered a first stroke and took statin drugs reduced their chances of suffering from a second stroke with 16%.

Taking into account the fact that more than 40% of individuals who have suffered a first stroke are extremely likely to suffer from a second stroke within a five year period, statin drugs may be used in order to decrease levels of relapsing cerebrovascular accident. The second occurring stroke is known to be more dangerous than the first time, mostly resulting in severe health impairments or death.

Stroke usually consists in the blocking of a brain artery by a blood clot. The blood clot will prevent blood from irrigating and oxygenating the brain and this is how stroke, which is usually lethal, occurs. The main factors leading to stroke were: clots forming in brain blood vessels, high blood pressure, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and certain heart conditions (such as atrial fibrillation). The incidence of stroke is also highly raised by old age.

The recent trial that proved that statins can successfully be used for preventing stroke relapse is called the Stroke Prevention by Aggressive Reduction in Cholesterol Levels (SPARCL) study and its findings are due to be published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

The trial involved 4,731 subjects from Africa, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, North and South America who have already suffered a first stroke. The participants formed two groups, those in one group being treated with statins, while those in the other group received non-statin anti-stroke drugs. All of the volunteers had previously taken aspirin and other medications in order to thin their blood and cut the risk of second stroke.

In a 5 year follow up study, researchers noticed that statin drugs were 16% more efficient against second occurring stroke than non-statin drugs. However, the mortality rate of participants throughout the 5 year trial was similar in both groups: 216 people in the statins receiving group and 211 in the non-statin group died.

Study co-researcher, Dr. Larry B. Goldstein, director of the Center for Cerebrovascular Disease and the Stroke Center at Duke University in Durham, pointed out: "The authors of this paper argue that statin therapy should be part of treatment after a stroke. Overall, I would agree with that assessment. While previous studies have highlighted the benefits of statins, the current study demonstrates very clear clinical trial results to help guide therapy."

However, Dr. Goldstein remarked that the hemorrhagic stroke rate proved to have only a small, insignificant increase in the trial: "There were very few patients who had hemorrhagic strokes at the outset, so it was very difficult to make any meaningful conclusions. We currently are doing other analyses trying to understand the hemorrhagic issue. However the therapy may not benefit people who have an ischemic stroke."