The study, published in the journal Neurology, found that people who stopped taking statins after being hospitalized after a stroke were 4.7 times more likely to have died or be dependent on others for their care three months after the stroke than people who kept taking the drugs.

Study author Dr. Jose Castillo, of the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, said that while no protocols suggest that patients should not receive statins after a stroke, in many cases the drugs are discontinued to avoid problems that can occur when stomach content is regurgitated into the lungs.

"These results strongly support the recommendation to physicians to continue statin drugs during the acute phase of an ischemic stroke," Castillo said in a statement."This study clearly shows the benefits of continuing statin use."