Early intensive therapy for preventing neurological deterioration in branch atheromatous disease

• Published in: Therapeutic advances in neurological disorders Vol. 18; p. 17562864251357274
• Main Authors: Huang, Yen-Chu, Weng, Hsu-Huei, Tsai, Yuan-Hsiung, Lin, Leng-Chieh, Lee, Jiann-Der, Yang, Jen-Tsung, Pan, Yi-Ting
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England SAGE Publications 01.01.2025; SAGE Publishing
• Subjects: Original Research; dual antiplatelet therapy; high-intensity statins; branch atheromatous disease; statin; early neurological deterioration; small vessel occlusion
• ISSN: 1756-2864; 1756-2856; 1756-2864
• DOI: 10.1177/17562864251357274

Early treatment with statin and dual antiplatelet therapy may help prevent worsening stroke symptoms in a specific type of acute ischemic stroke Some people who experience a certain type of acute ischemic stroke called branch atheromatous disease (BAD) may get worse within the first few days, even after receiving medical care. This early worsening can lead to more severe disability. In this study, we tested whether starting a combination of dual antiplatelet therapy—aspirin and clopidogrel—along with a high-dose statin (a cholesterol-lowering medication) within 24 hours of stroke onset could help prevent this early decline. We treated 91 patients with this intensive therapy and compared their outcomes to 285 patients from previous years who had received standard treatment. We found that those who received the early intensive therapy were less likely to experience worsening stroke symptoms during the first week and more likely to have better recovery after three months. The treatment did not increase the risk of serious side effects, although mild bleeding occurred slightly more often. These findings suggest that early use of dual antiplatelet therapy and a strong statin may help improve outcomes in people with this specific kind of stroke. More research is needed to confirm these results and guide future treatment recommendations.