August 14, 2017 – Continued Risk

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Anchor lead: Even after surviving a stroke or TIA, risk remains, Elizabeth Tracey reports

If you’ve survived a stroke or a transient ischemic attack, abbreviated TIA, you may think you’ve dodged a bullet, but a recent study suggests that’s not the case, showing increased risk that continues years after the event. Rebecca Gottesman, a stroke expert at Johns Hopkins, interprets the findings.

Gottesman: People who had stroke or TIA who survived in the first few months after their stroke or TIA had a higher rate of recurrent stroke, death, or readmission to the hospital over the first year they noticed more than a doubled increased risk, that continued up to three years and five years after their stroke or TIA. Although these data are important we know that stroke and TIA increases risk for another stroke and increases risk for death. We don’t know from these data whether the association they see is due to the stroke or TIA itself or due to the risk factors that led to that stroke or TIA in the first place. :34

Gottesman says the study does underscore the imperative to control known risk factors for TIA and stroke. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.