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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · J Neuroanaesth Crit Care 2017; 04(04): S60-S64
DOI: 10.4103/2348-0548.199951
Conference Proceeding
Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Private Ltd.

Statins for aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage: Another loss in translation

Matthew T. V. Chan
1   Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Publication History

Publication Date:
08 May 2018 (online)

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Abstract

Experimental evidence suggests that statin attenuates inflammation, oxidation, platelet aggregation and excitotoxicity. In brain ischemic models, statin administration produces vasodilatation and reduces neuronal apoptosis. It was hypothesized that statin administration may improve outcome by reducing delayed ischemic neurological deficit after aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage. Earlier pilot trials suggested demonstrated encouraging results but the recent Simvastatin in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage Trial, using simvastatin 40 mg per day, failed to demonstrate a benefit. Even at larger doses, simvastatin 80 mg per day did not reduce delayed ischemic neurological deficit. In common with many other interventions, statin represents another translational failure of presumed neuroprotective agents.

Keywords

Aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage - delayed ischaemic neurological deficit - statin
 

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