Immediate institution of secondary preventative treatments for stroke and transient ischemic attacks is supported by accumulating evidence due to the high early risk of recurrence.
This review highlights the importance of treating stroke and TIA as medical emergencies and immediately initiating secondary prevention strategies.
Stroke and transient ischemic attacks result from a range of mechanisms. Secondary prevention includes both conventional approaches to vascular risk-factor management (blood pressure lowering, cholesterol reduction with statins, smoking cessation and antiplatelet therapy) and more specific interventions, such as carotid endarterectomy or anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation. The relative importance of even conventional risk factors in stroke differs from coronary artery disease. Large clinical trials produce information on most aspects of stroke prevention. Stroke and transient ischemic attacks are now recognized as medical emergencies, with a high early risk of recurrence, and evidence is accumulating to support the importance of immediate institution of secondary preventative treatments. We review current literature on the secondary prevention of stroke.
MacDougall et al. (Tue,) conducted a review in Stroke and transient ischemic attacks. Secondary preventative treatments was evaluated. Immediate institution of secondary preventative treatments for stroke and transient ischemic attacks is supported by accumulating evidence due to the high early risk of recurrence.