Study finds risky drug interaction between two common statins and anti-clotting drug for stroke

If simvastatin or lovastatin are combined with dabigatran—brand name Pradaxa, an anti-clotting drug—hemorrhage risk increases.

A study published today in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that within a cohort of almost 46,000 patients treated with dabigatran, the use of simvastatin or lovastatin, relative to other statins, increased the risk of a major hemorrhage by approximately 42 percent.*

Administrative data supported the authors' hypothesis that these two commonly-prescribed, cholesterol-lowering statins would "increase the amount of dabigatran absorbed by the body," reads the St. Michael's Hospital press release, "something other statins would not be expected to do." A higher concentration of dabigatran, in turn, would result in higher bleeding risk.

Continue reading Study finds risky drug interaction between two common statins and anti-clotting drug for stroke

Can Statins Reduce Heart Risk? – Cardiac News Round-Up

Statins

Statins are a big question in cardiac care.

Kaiser Permanente proudly reported last week the increased adoption of their daily statin regimen, but is the increased use of statins positive or negative?

Kaiser Permanente "ALL" quality improvement protocol increased prescription of heart and stroke risk medication regimen by 40 percent in community health centers. (Medical News Today, June 11)

The medication regimen bundles two generic drugs - a cholesterol-lowering statin and a blood pressure-lowering drug in daily doses to patients with diabetes or heart disease.

In 2009, Kaiser Permanente released a study showing that their protocol lowers the chance of hospitalization for heart attack or stroke the following year by more than 60 percent.

Statin association with memory loss in question? (MedPage Today, June 8)

Continue reading Can Statins Reduce Heart Risk? – Cardiac News Round-Up

Has the economy increased stroke risk?

IN THE NEWS

A recent study released by Imperial College London identified unemployment as a factor which increased the risk of patients dying from stroke.

Unemployment rates could simply be strongly correlated with higher general levels of stress which can increase blood pressure and stroke risk.


WHAT'S YOUR EXPERIENCE?

Have you noticed an increase in the number of instances of stroke due to the economic downturn in recent years?

If so, have you been adequately prepared to handle the increased volume?

Leave a comment!


LEARN MORE ABOUT STROKE CARE

ACVP's upcoming regional meeting scheduled for February 12-13 in Brighton, Colorado includes several excellent speakers on the topic of stroke and stroke care. Visit the event page to download a program or register today!