The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) just published new guidelines for the primary prevention of stroke that acknowledge the relationship between inflammation and various stages of the atherogenic process including initiation, progression, and stability of atherosclerotic lesions. They reference a number of studies that show associations between inflammatory biomarkers and stroke risk. The AHA/ASA recommendations specifically related to inflammation include the following:
“Patients with chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus should be considered at increased risk of stroke” and “measurement of inflammatory markers such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein or lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 in patients without cardiovascular disease may be considered to identify patients who may be at increased risk of stroke, although their usefulness in routine clinical practice in not well established.”
Reference: Meschia JF, et al. Guidelines for the primary prevention of stroke: A statement for healthcare professionals from the American Heart Association/American Stoke Association. Stroke published on line October 28, 2014; available at http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/early/2014/10/28/STR.0000000000000046