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2nd Stroke Risk Higher in Mexican-Americans
SAN ANTONIO (San Antonio
Express-News) August 24, 2006
Two years ago, a study of south Texas patients found that Mexican-Americans
are more likely than non-Hispanic whites to suffer a stroke. Now the same
study shows them more likely to have a second stroke.
The latest findings, published Tuesday in the Annals of Neurology, suggest that Mexican-Americans who have had a stroke should talk to their doctors about aggressive treatment to prevent a subsequent attack, the study's lead author said.
"Given that Mexican-Americans have an
increased risk of recurrence, then they need to think carefully about these
secondary stroke-prevention measures and the different therapies that are
available," said Lynda Lisabeth, an assistant professor of epidemiology at
the University of Michigan School of Public Health.
The study has followed thousands of stroke patients in Nueces County, Texas, since 1999. The study examined 1,345 patients who suffered ischemic strokes those involving blood clots rather than bleeding between 2000 and 2004. Just over half, or 53 percent, were Mexican-Americans. Then researchers identified 126 patients who had suffered a recurrent stroke. Nearly all of those subsequent strokes were ischemic as well. After adjusting the data to equalize other risk factors such as diabetes and heart disease, they found that 9.1 percent of all Mexican-American stroke patients had a recurrent stroke after one year, compared with 5.5 percent of non-Hispanic whites.
The differences were even more pronounced
among younger patients 45 to 59 years old, with 9.7 percent of
Mexican-Americans and 4.6 of non-Hispanic whites suffering recurrent
strokes.
Lisabeth said experts could only speculate on why the differences exist. It could be genetic factors, differences in treatment compliance or other reasons. |
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