Statins Linked to Lower Risk of Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Study
According to a large population-based study, statin use is significantly associated with a reduced risk of cerebral aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), especially in patients with hypertension or cerebrovascular disease. The findings suggest a potential preventive role for statins in SAH, excluding cases from vertebral artery dissection or arteriovenous malformation rupture.
While the efficacy of statins, which are cholesterol-lowering agents, in preventing subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) has been examined in experimental animal models and some clinical studies, findings remain inconclusive. This study aimed to investigate the association between statin use and the risk of SAH. They conducted a large population-based case-control study using data from the Japanese Health Insurance Claims Database from January 2005 to August 2021. This nationwide database includes the data of individuals aged 0 to 74 years. Cases were defined as patients hospitalized with a first diagnosis of SAH (International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision code I60) during this period. Four controls per case were randomly selected and matched by age, sex, and follow-up period using incidence density sampling. Statin exposure (use, recency, and duration) was evaluated before the incidence of SAH. Conditional logistic regression, adjusted for patient characteristics, was used to assess the association between statin use and SAH risk. We also investigated whether this association varies with a history of hypertension, diabetes, cerebrovascular disease, unruptured intracranial aneurysms, and the use of antihypertensive medications. RESULTS: The study identified 3498 cases and 13 992 matched controls. Statin use was reported in 12.2% of SAH cases and 12.7% of the controls. After adjusting for patient characteristics, statin use was associated with a significantly reduced risk of SAH (adjusted odds ratio, 0.81 [95% CI, 0.69–0.95]). The association was significantly influenced by a history of hypertension or cerebrovascular disease. Statin use was significantly associated with a reduced risk of SAH. These findings suggest that statins may play a role in the prevention of SAH, particularly in patients with a history of hypertension or cerebrovascular disease.
Reference:
Association Between Statin Use and Risk of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Case-Control Study Using Large-Scale Claims Data. Makoto Hagiwara, Ayako Maeda-Minami, Fumihiro Matano, Yohei Nounaka, et al. Stroke. Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. Jul 8, 2025. Copyright © 2025, Wolters Kluwer Health
Keywords:
Statins, Linked, Lower, Risk, Aneurysmal, Subarachnoid, Hemorrhage, Study, Makoto Hagiwara, Ayako Maeda-Minami, Fumihiro Matano, Yohei Nounaka
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