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Trial data indicate that statins reduce the incidence of stroke, but the mechanism of this reduction remains unclear. Some have suggested that statins' benefit with regard to stroke is independent of LDL or total cholesterol reduction and might relate to pleiotropic effects.
To assess the association between stroke reduction and change in total cholesterol, investigators performed a large meta-analysis of randomized trials of lipid-lowering treatments, involving reported outcomes in 266,973 patients. Overall, the odds ratio for stroke incidence was 0.88 (95% confidence interval, 0.83–0.94; P<0.001) in treated individuals versus placebo or no treatment. Statin therapy was associated with a reduction in risk for total stroke (OR, 0.85; 95% CI,…