[Implications of the REACH registry for neurologists].

Data from the REACH registry help to understand distinct problems affecting patients with arteriosclerotic disease. The arteriosclerotic burden evaluated by quantifying the number of diseased vascular territories is a marker of poor prognosis that increases the risk of recurrences, morbidity and mortality and death at 1 year. In cerebrovascular disease, it is important to highlight that patients with stroke are those with the highest rates of cerebral reinfarction and also show the highest combined rate of cardiovascular death or non-fatal myocardial infarction or stroke. Special care must be taken in patients who have had a transient ischemic attack since these patients accumulate a number of vascular risk factors. Data from the REACH registry suggest that preventive treatment and control of vascular risk factors could be improved, especially control of hypertension, diabetes and hypercholesterolemia. Consequently, preventive measures should be intensified in these patients to achieve adequate control of risk factors through encouraging healthy lifestyle habits, appropriate use of drugs and treatment adherence.