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Low "Good" Cholesterol and Diabetes Shown to Slow Stroke Recovery

By Daniel H. Rasolt

Posted: Friday, November 30, 2007

(Defeat Diabetes® News) -- Stroke victims with diabetes and low HDL have new obstacles to overcome in their attempt to regain full cognitive function and dexterity.

A study published in the November edition of the American Academy of Neurology's journal, Neurology, shows that recovering stroke victims with low HDL levels (below 40 mg/dL) are likely to have a harder time regaining their cognitive and motor abilities. The same study also showed that stroke victims with diabetes are twice as likely as non-diabetics to have a slowed and potentially incomplete recovery.

The comprehensive study was done on 3,680 men and women over the age of 35 from the United States, Canada and Scotland, who had suffered from mild to moderate strokes within three months of the beginning of the study. Individuals were monitored for two years, and underwent cognitive and disability tests during this period.

George C. Newman, MD, PhD with Albert Einstein Healthcare Network in Philadelphia, PA, and author of the study concluded "People with low levels of HDL, high levels of homocysteine, and diabetes are twice as likely as those without such problems to have poorer cognitive function and greater disability after stroke."

In addition, Newman noted that increased age (over 57), race (non-Caucasian), stroke in the left hemisphere of the brain and recurrent stroke, all contributed to slowed recovery in these stroke victims.

It is unknown why these factors contribute to slower recovery for stroke victims, but the study certainly gives more incentive to keepHDL levels high and to get familiar with and tested for diabetes.

Source: Defeat Diabetes Foundation: Newman et al. American Academy of Neurology, NEUROLOGY 2007;69:2054-2062. November 2007.

Daniel H. Rasolt writes for Defeat Diabetes® News. Read more of his original content articles.

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