Cholesterol Drugs May Raise Brain Hemorrhage Risk

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The use of cholesterol-lowering "statin" drugs, such as Lipitor (atorvastatin) and Zocor (simvastatin), may raise the risk of brain hemorrhage in patients who have experienced a recent stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA), new research suggests. Still, this risk may be outweighed by the ability of these agents to lower the overall risk of a second stroke and other serious events, such as heart attack. "This is a secondary analysis of data collected as part of the Stroke Prevention with Aggressive Reductions in Cholesterol Levels (SPARCL) study," lead author Dr. Larry B. Goldstein told Reuters Health.