For people who have already had a stroke, the risk of having another, more severe one remains high for several years, according to a new study led by University of Calgary researchers.
The global study shows that one in five people who experience a minor stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) will have another one within 10 years.
“A lot of focus has been put on preventing stroke in the first 90 days post-TIA or minor stroke, which is when a person is at the highest risk of a second stroke,” Dr. Faizan Khan, a postdoctoral fellow at the Cumming School of Medicine (CSM) and lead author of the study, said in a news release.
However, what we’re seeing in this study is that the risk continues and remains high for at least the next decade.”
Researchers at the U of C’s Hotchkiss Brain Institute analyzed data from 171,068 patients who experienced a minor stroke or TIA.
The data was pulled from different studies conducted in 20 countries.
The findings show the risk of another stroke is 5.9 per cent in the first year, 12.8 per cent within five years and 19.8 per cent within 10 years.
“I know that adherence to medical recommendations can wane over time. People start to feel better, and the more time that passes after the first stroke, they might reconsider whether the medication and lifestyle changes are necessary,” Dr. Michael Hill, a neurologist and professor at the CSM and principal investigator, said.
“I hope this study serves as a bit of a wake-up call.”
The research team hopes their findings help improve prevention care and strategies.
The full study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
