Whats the evidence for aspirin and other antiplatelet drugs?
There’s very good evidence that aspirin and other antiplatelet drugs help prevent strokes. A large number of studies have looked at whether these treatments work for people at high risk of having a stroke or mini-stroke (this includes people who have already had a stroke or mini-stroke, people who have had a heart attack or have another heart condition, and people with diabetes).[1] The results have shown time and time again that antiplatelet drugs can lower people’s chances of having a stroke. They also show that that lower doses of aspirin (as low as 75 milligrams a day) are as good at preventing strokes as higher doses.[1] For people who can’t take aspirin, the drug clopidogrel works just as well.[1] [2] References Antithrombotic Trialists’ Collaboration. Collaborative meta-analysis of randomised trials of antiplatelet therapy for prevention of death, myocardial infarction, and stroke in high risk patients. BMJ. 2002; 324: 71-86. Hankey GJ, Sudlow CL, Dunbabin DW. Thienopyridine der
