There is a need for continued improvement in long-term stroke prevention, according a new study involving University of Calgary researchers. Read More
’People start to feel better, and the more time that passes after the first stroke, they might reconsider whether the medication and lifestyle changes are necessary’
‘People start to feel better, and the more time that passes after the first stroke, they might reconsider whether the medication and lifestyle changes are necessary’
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There is a need for continued improvement in long-term stroke prevention, according a new study involving University of Calgary researchers.
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One in five people who suffer a minor stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) remain at high risk of having a second more severe stroke for years, suggests the study.
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A TIA involves temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain. They don’t cause permanent damage but can indicate a possible full-blown stroke ahead, according to the American Stroke Association.
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A global collaboration led by researchers at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine and the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, the study used data from 171,068 patients from 20 countries who experienced a minor stroke or TIA.
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A lot of focus has been put on preventing stroke for the first 90 days after a minor stroke or TIA, when a person is at the highest risk of another instance, said Dr. Faizan Khan from the U of C.
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“However, what we’re seeing in this study is that the risk continues and remains high for at least the next decade,” Khan, the study’s lead author, said in a media release.
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Risks of a subsequent stroke are 5.9 per cent in the first year, 12.8 per cent within five years, and 19.8 per cent within 10 years, according to the study published in JAMA.
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“I hope this study serves as a bit of a wake-up call,” said Dr. Michael Hill, from the U of C and principal investigator for the study.
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Hill noted that adherence to medical recommendations can wane over time.
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“People start to feel better, and the more time that passes after the first stroke, they might reconsider whether the medication and lifestyle changes are necessary,” Hill said.
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Hopes are that their findings will provide a “benchmark” to improve efforts on long-term prevention care for stroke.
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“Our findings should prompt health-care providers to be mindful of the persistently high risk of a future stroke, and to consider ongoing monitoring and risk reduction strategies beyond the initial high-risk period,” said Khan.
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Hill said, “If you know your risk is one in five of having another stroke over 10 years, and 10 percent of those cases are fatal … you may be more likely to continue the medications and lifestyle changes.”
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Khan points out that attention to treatment of stroke risk factors, such as high blood pressure, is essential for patients, not just in the hospital, but for life.
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To learn more about the signs of a stroke visit the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada’s website.
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