ENGLEWOOD, Colo., June 16 /PRNewswire/ --

Fifty million people worldwide have strokes or TIAs (mini-strokes) annually. A new study has revealed that over 500,000 of those incidents annually could be prevented by using a combination of perindopril (a high-blood pressure medication) and

The PROGRESS trials found that using ACEON(R) (generically known as perindopril), an ACE inhibitor in combination with a diuretic, reduced the risk for secondary stroke by as much as 50 percent. There was a 38 percent reduction in fatal strokes in patients using the perindopril-based therapy. In addition, there was up to a 50 percent reduction in stroke-related dementia and serious cognitive impairment for TIA patients who went on to experience a recurrent stroke. PROGRESS showed even patients with normal blood pressure would benefit from this therapy.

The 6,000-patient trial, the first randomized trial to use an ACE inhibitor or combination ACE inhibitor and diuretic, was conducted in 10 countries over the past five years. According to PROGRESS lead investigators, "These results are the biggest single advance in secondary stroke prevention."

"To suffer a stroke is difficult at best, to suffer a second stroke is devastating. The PROGRESS study provides groundbreaking hope for the thousands of stroke survivors who are at risk for having another stroke. The results demonstrate important new options to dramatically reduce the damaging effects of stroke, including dementia and cognitive function," said Patti Shwayder, NSA executive director/CEO. "National Stroke Association (NSA) believes the American public needs to know this information and work with their health care providers to do all they can to prevent strokes."

According to NSA, secondary strokes are fatal in 25 percent of the cases, and often result in greater disability. On average, they are also more expensive to treat than the first strokes. Studies show that within five years of a stroke, 24 percent of women and 42 percent of men will experience another stroke.

ACEON(R) is currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use as an anti-hypertensive (blood pressure lowering) medication. The drug is classified as an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor. ACE inhibitors maintain the elasticity of the blood vessel wall, protecting it from damage and decreasing the likelihood of blood clots or hemorrhage.

"As we get older, blood vessels -- just like our skin -- become less elastic and can lead to high blood pressure," according to Dr. Thomas Brott, professor of neurology at the Mayo Medical School and vice chairman of National Stroke Association. "The ACE inhibitor gently relaxes the blood vessels and allows a gradual fall in blood pressure, which we think can protect against stroke."

An advantage of ACEON(R) is that it is a one-dose-a-day medication with 24-hour efficacy. Research has shown that a major factor in stroke treatment and risk reduction is that patients often don't take their medication as prescribed. While a few therapies have shown varying degrees of success in preventing secondary stroke, aspirin is currently the "gold standard" treatment for many stroke patients because of its cost and efficiency. The perindopril-based therapy results were seen in addition to aspirin.

"For the thousands of stroke survivors facing yet another debilitating stroke, the results of this trial are encouraging and give us another viable weapon in the fight against stroke-related disabilities and deaths," says Dr. Brott.

Based in Englewood, Colo., National Stroke Association (NSA) is a leading, independent national non-profit organization devoting 100 percent of its efforts and resources to stroke -- including prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and support for stroke survivors and their families. For more information on stroke or any of NSA's programs, contact the National Stroke Association at 1-800-STROKES (800-767-6537) or visit http://www.stroke.org.

Contact: Diane Mulligan-Fairfield

(303)754-0920

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