Thrombolysis for Stroke: Add a Statin?

Registry data suggest that prompt administration of a statin after thrombolysis improves both early and late neurological outcomes.

In the SPARCL study, the rate of hemorrhagic stroke was higher in patients with ischemic stroke treated with atorvastatin than in those treated with placebo (JW Gen Med Aug 10 2006). This finding raised concerns about a potential increase in risk for hemorrhage in acute stroke patients treated with both thrombolysis and a statin.

These investigators used data from a multicenter Italian registry to analyze the effect of statin use or nonuse on early and 3-month outcomes in 2072 acute stroke patients who received intravenous tissue plasminogen activator within 4.5 hours after symptom onset. Statin use was defined as receipt of a statin medication within 72 hours after thrombolysis, as either new treatment or continuation of outpatient therapy.…

Reviewing Author

Seemant Chaturvedi, MD