Study on Statin and Ezetimibe Therapy for High-Risk Stroke Patients

A recent study published in the Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases found that a moderate-intensity statin combined with ezetimibe could be a potential therapy for high-risk stroke patients. This discovery challenges conventional wisdom regarding high-intensity statin therapy, suggesting a more effective and safer alternative.

This randomized controlled trial involved participants with acute ischemic cerebrovascular disease and compared the efficacy and safety of two lipid-lowering regimens:

• Moderate-intensity statin with ezetimibe
• High-intensity statin alone

The results unveiled that doubling the dosage of statin drugs did not enhance the achievement rate of LDL-C target or provide additional clinical benefits, contrary to the previous assumptions. Instead, it significantly increased the risk of adverse reactions.

The patients receiving the moderate-intensity statin with ezetimibe combination showed remarkable improvements. The study revealed that this regimen not only improved the achievement rate of LDL-C but also led to a higher reduction in LDL-C levels when compared to the high-intensity statin group. The safety profiles between the two groups were comparable, indicating that the moderate-intensity statin with ezetimibe could be considered as an initial treatment option for acute ischemic cerebrovascular disease patients.

This study challenges the traditional approach to lipid-lowering therapy in stroke patients. It highlights the potential benefits of a more balanced approach using moderate-intensity statin with ezetimibe by offering both efficacy and safety. This research opens new opportunities for stroke management, providing clinicians with an alternative strategy to reduce the risk of stroke recurrence without compromising the safety of the patients.

Source

Lv, X., Liu, X., Peng, Y., Li, W., Wang, J., Chen, X., Lei, J., Tang, C., Luo, S., Mai, W., Cai, Y., Fan, Q., Chenhao, L., & Zhang, L. (2024). Medium-intensity statin with ezetimibe versus high-intensity statin in acute ischemic cerebrovascular disease (MESIA): a randomized clinical trial. In Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases (p. 107647). Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2024.107647