Journal of Analytical & Bioanalytical Techniques
Open Access

Abstract

Introduction: Stroke is one of the leading causes of mortality and disability. Clinical studies results show that policosanol (20 mg/day) + standard aspirin (AS) therapy had benefits versus placebo + AS given for 6 and 12 months to patients with recent ischemic stroke. Objective: To analysis, the policosanol treatment effects in the hypertensive patients included in two ischemic stroke recovery trials. Methods: This report was analyzed the records of all hypertensive patients included in two ischemic stroke recovery studies. Hypertensive patients with a modified Rankin Scale score (mRSs) 2 to 4 were randomized, within 30 days of onset, to policosanol/ AS or placebo/AS, for 6 months. The primary outcome was a mRSs reduction. Low-density Lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) reduction and High-Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol (HDL-C) increase were secondary outcomes. Results: One hundred forty-two hypertensive patients (mean age: 66 years) were included in the analysis. Policosanol/AS decreased significantly the mRSs mean from the first interim check-up (3 months) (p<0.0001 vs. placebo/AS). The policosanol treatment effect did not wear off, on the contrary, even improved after 6 months therapy (p<0.0001 versus placebo/AS). Moreover, policosanol/AS (57/71; 80.3%) treatment achieved significant results (mRSs ≤1; p<0.0001). Whereas the placebo/ AS did not (6/71; 8.5%). Treatments were well tolerated. Two patients discontinued prematurely and four patients (2 from policosanol/AS group and 2 from placebo/AS) referred mild AE. Conclusions: Six months administration of policosanol/AS given to hypertensive patients after suffering ischemic stroke demonstrated to be better than placebo/AS in improving functional outcomes at 3 and 6 months when used among hypertensive patients with ischemic stroke.

Biography

Julio Cesar Fernandez Travieso is a Senior Investigator in the Clinical Trials Unit, National Centre for Scientific Research, Havana, Cuba. He has completed his BSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Havana University, Cuba in 1996. He was awarded PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2003. He has published more than 130 publications and presented more than 100 papers in various scientific events. His research interest mainly focuses on clinical trials phase I-IV of different natural products: Policosanol, Abexol, Prevenox and Palmex.

E-mail: julio.fernandez@cnic.cu