Study Ties Lacunar Stroke to Arterial Widening, Not Fatty Narrowing
The peer-reviewed study points researchers toward drugs that act on brain microvessels.
Overview
- A Circulation study links enlargement of brain arteries to lacunar stroke.
- The research found fatty narrowing of large arteries was not linked to this stroke subtype.
- Patients with widened arteries were more than four times as likely to have lacunar stroke.
- Over one in four participants developed new silent strokes during follow-up despite standard care.
- The findings are steering the LACI-3 trial of cilostazol and isosorbide mononitrate and could shift prevention toward protecting small vessels.