High Blood Fat Levels Give Second Chance to Stroke

People who had a stroke earlier due to clogging of brain blood vessels with increased levels of triglyceride, a type of fat in the blood may have a high chance of having another stroke or other cardiovascular problems one year later, according to new research published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Atherothrombotic stroke is the most common form of stroke that occurs when a blood clot forms on a plaque within a blood vessel in the brain and blocks blood flow to that part of the brain.

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‘People who had high triglyceride (type of blood fat) levels had a 21% greater risk of death, stroke, or heart condition one year, compared to those with lower levels.’

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Elevated triglyceride levels are also known to contribute to hardening of the arteries and increased risk of heart attack, heart disease, and stroke.

“Our study suggests that for people who had an atherothrombotic stroke, having elevated levels of triglycerides in their blood is a risk factor for having another stroke or other cardiovascular problems in the future, and we found that to be true even if the person is on statin therapy,” said study author Takao Hoshino, MD, of the Tokyo Women's Medical University in Japan.

The new study looked at 870 people who had a stroke or transient ischemic attack. Their average age was 70. Of those, 217, or 25%, had elevated triglyceride levels, defined as fasting triglycerides levels 150 milligrams per deciliter or higher.

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Researchers followed up with the participants one year later to find out if there was an association between high triglyceride levels and having another stroke, acute coronary syndrome, which is any condition caused by a sudden reduction of blood flow to the heart, or death due to vascular causes.

After adjusting for factors like cholesterol level and statin use, researchers found that people who had another stroke after an atherothrombotic stroke had elevated levels of triglycerides.

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For acute coronary syndrome, one out of 114 people, or 0.9%, with normal triglyceride levels developed the heart condition one year after an atherothrombotic stroke, compared to five out of 60, or 8%, of those with elevated levels.

However, the study did not find an association between higher triglyceride levels and future cardiovascular problems in people who had a different type of stroke called a cardioembolic stroke.

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Statin therapy is still an effective treatment for people with high triglyceride levels, but our study highlights how important it is to look at all the tools a person can use to lower their triglycerides, including diet modifications, exercise, and taking omega-3 fatty acids.

More research is needed, but for people who have had an atherothrombotic stroke, triglyceride levels may emerge as a key target for preventing future strokes and other cardiovascular problems.

Source-Medindia