Even ‘innocent’ atherosclerosis after minor stroke ups risk of major vascular events: study
Further reductions in long-term stroke risk could be achieved with more 'aggressive' control of atherosclerosis in select patients, say clinicians.
Both symptomatic and asymptomatic atherosclerosis significantly increase the risk of major vascular events within five years of a TIA or minor ischaemic stroke, shows a large cohort study.
The findings suggest an almost three times higher risk in patients with large artery atherosclerosis, and the novel finding of a near two-fold greater risk among those with asymptomatic atherosclerosis.
