Controlling Cholesterol, Blood Pressure Adds Up to Prevent Stroke

SEATTLE, April 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Reaching optimal levels for
cholesterol and high blood pressure in people who've had a stroke adds up to
prevent a second stroke or heart attack, according to a study to be presented
as part of the Late-breaking Science Program at the American Academy of
Neurology's 61st Annual Meeting in Seattle, April 25 - May 2, 2009.

Researchers looked at four risk factors for stroke: high LDL cholesterol, low
HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides, and high blood pressure. They found that
for each risk factor that is controlled at the optimal level, the risk of
stroke and other major cardiovascular problems goes down.

The Stroke Prevention by Aggressive Reduction in Cholesterol Levels (SPARCL)
study involved 4,731 people who had a recent stroke or transient ischemic
attack, or mini stroke. Half received the cholesterol-lowering drug
atorvastatin, and half received a placebo. The participants were followed for
an average of 4.9 years.

People who reached optimal levels in all four risk factors were 65 percent
less likely to have another stroke as people who did not reach optimal levels
on any of the risk factors. Those who reached the optimal level on three risk
factors were 38 percent less likely to have another stroke, and those who
reached the optimal level on two risk factors were 22 percent less likely to
have another stroke. Those who reached the optimal level on only one risk
factor were only two percent less likely to have another stroke than people
who did not meet any of the optimal levels.

"These results show that there is a cumulative effect to lowering cholesterol
and blood pressure," said study author Pierre Amarenco, MD, of Denis Diderot
University and Medical School in Paris, France, and a Fellow of the American
Academy of Neurology. "People need to work with their doctors to reach the
optimal level on all of these risk factors."

The study was supported by Pfizer Inc.

The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000
neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the
highest quality patient-centered neurologic care.

For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit
www.aan.com.

The AAN 61st Annual Meeting, the world's largest gathering of neurology
professionals, takes place April 25-May 2, 2009, in Seattle. Visit
www.aan.com/am for more information.

SOURCE American Academy of Neurology

Angela Babb, +1-651-695-2789, ababb@aan.com, or Jenine Anderson,
+1-651-695-2738, janderson@aan.com, or AAN Press Room 307/308:
+1-206-219-4730