Ezetimibe-Simvastatin Therapy Reduce Recurrent Ischemic Stroke Risks in Type 2 Diabetic Patients.

Context: Statin is the main lipid-lowering therapy for type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Recent evidence suggested the cardiovascular protective effects of ezetimibe-simvastatin in acute coronary syndrome patients. Objective: To investigate the effect of ezetimibe-simvastatin combination therapy on stroke prevention among diabetic stroke patients. Design, Setting, Participants, and Outcome Measures: This is a retrospective cohort study. Between March 1, 2009 and December 31, 2011, all patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database were screened. Those admitted for ischemic stroke (IS) were recruited and divided into 10-mg ezetimibe-20-mg simvastatin (EZ-SIM), 40-mg atorvastatin (ATOR), and 20-mg simvastatin (SIM) groups for further analyses. The primary outcomes were IS, myocardial infarction, and death from any cause. Patients were followed from index hospitalization to the date of death, loss of follow-up, or study termination. Results: During the 34-mont...