LOS ANGELES, Dec 7, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- U.S. researchers found the
percentage of stroke survivors taking blood thinners stayed steady over seven
years.
Dr. Eric Cheng of the University of California-Los Angeles and colleagues found
that in each year of the seven-year study, about 20 percent of survivors were
not taking medications to prevent further stroke -- a figure that did not
decrease during the time period.
The study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, also
determined those less likely to take these medications -- one of the most common
of which is aspirin -- were those who were younger, female and Hispanic.
"Prior studies have shown that nearly all stroke survivors receive such
medications in the hospital," Cheng, the study leader, said in a statement.
"However, it was not known whether stroke survivors continued to take this type
of medication after they were discharged from the hospital."
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Copyright 2009 by United Press International