New evidence suggests that statins do not increase the risk of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who are also taking direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) therapy.
“DOACs have been widely used for stroke prevention in high-risk AF patients,” said Dr Ting-Yu Chang of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taoyuan, Taiwan. “AF patients who need DOACs usually have multiple cardiovascular risk factors, so this group of patients may benefit from lipid control with statins,” she said. Whether statin therapy increases the risk of ICH is a matter of debate.