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Statins decrease the risk of stroke in individuals with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia: A systematic

Fotios Barkas1, Moses Elisaf1, Haralampos Milionis1

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece.

Atherosclerosis
|September 10, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) significantly increased stroke risk before statin therapy. The introduction of statins dramatically reduced this risk in individuals with heterozygous FH.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Epidemiology
  • Genetic Lipid Disorders

Background:

  • Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is linked to premature heart disease.
  • The association between FH and stroke risk remains debated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To conduct a meta-analysis on stroke incidence in heterozygous FH (HeFH) patients.
  • To evaluate the impact of statin therapy on stroke risk in HeFH.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review and meta-analysis of four observational studies (3374 participants).
  • Comparison of HeFH patients with the general population as controls.
  • Analysis stratified by prestatin and statin eras (pre- and post-1987).

Main Results:

  • Pre-statin era: HeFH significantly elevated stroke risk (OR = 7.658).
  • Statin era: HeFH showed reduced odds for stroke (OR = 0.251).

Conclusions:

  • HeFH is associated with increased cerebrovascular disease risk.
  • Statin therapy significantly mitigates stroke risk in HeFH patients.
Abstract

Keywords:
Brain infarctionCerebrovascular diseaseFamilial hypercholesterolemiaInherited dyslipidemiaIschemic strokeStatin treatment

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