What Antithrombotic Medication Do Most Patients Need for Secondary Prevention after a Cerebrovascular Accident?
Antiplatelet agents significantly reduce the incidence of a recurrent vascular event after a stroke. Among these agents aspirin has been best examined. In patients with prior stroke or T1A, antiplatelet treatment (shown mainly with aspirin) reduces recurrence of nonfatal stroke by 23% [Antiplatelet Trialists’ Collaboration, 1994]. Also for other patients at high risk of occlusive vascular disease such as unstable angina, myocardial infarction, peripheral vascular disease or those having vascular procedures anti-platelet treatment offers worthwhile protection against stroke, myocardial infarction or vascular death. Among all high-risk patients the odds of such events is reduced by about a quarter. Reference Antiplatelet Trialists’ Collaboration: Collaborative overview of randomized trials of antiplatelet therapy. I: Prevention of death, myocardial infarction. and stroke by prolonged antiplatelet therapy in various categories of patients. Br Med J 1994:308:81106.
